Juvenile Justice Specialist

The Juvenile Justice Specialist program is designed to prepare learners to address exactly these questions by introducing the concepts, principles and practices of the juvenile justice system to students. Learners will take an in-depth look at juvenile law and the unique role of the courts in these circumstances, as well as the corrections systems that will apply to them. Learners will analyze the different socioeconomic considerations that must be weighed in addressing juvenile justice issues, as well as the way social service agencies (treatment, child protective services, etc.) interact, aid or impede the formal juvenile justice system.

This program gives learners an overview of American juvenile justice in terms of both system and practice. It examines the juvenile offender, causes of juvenile crime, the juvenile court system, and juveniles in the adult court system. The program also looks at the institutionalization, rehabilitation, and treatment of juveniles, and the future of juvenile justice in America.

Program Objectives

After completing this program, learners will be able to:

• Appraise the connection between childhood and delinquency
• Determine the nature and extent of delinquency
• Describe individual views of delinquency
• Examine the structure, process, culture, and delinquency
• Analyze social reaction, social conflict, and delinquency
• Define developmental theories of delinquency: life-course, propensity, and trajectory
• Describe the connection between gender and delinquency
• Determine how family can influence delinquency
• Appraise peers and delinquency: juvenile gangs and groups
• Examine schools and delinquency
• Analyze delinquency prevention: social and developmental perspectives
• Examine juvenile justice: then and now
• Describe police work with juveniles
• Determine the juvenile court process: pretrial, trial, and sentencing
• Appraise juvenile corrections: probation, community treatment, and institutionalization
• Examine the connection between delinquency and juvenile justice abroad

Certification Opportunities

Juvenile Justice Specialist is not a state-regulated profession in the state of Arkansas. Law Enforcement Officer, Juvenile Probation Officer, and Social Worker are licensed, regulated professions at the state level. This course does not prepare learners to become a certified law enforcement officer, probation officer, or licensed social worker.

This course prepares learners to take the following exam for a certification which can assist in gaining an entry-level position.

National Workforce Career Association (NWCA) Juvenile Justice (CJ-JUVI)