NCJ Number
138677
Date Published
1992
Length
6 pages
Annotation
Guidelines for training juvenile justice facility or program careworkers accompany this review of their many roles and responsibilities.
Abstract
The careworker, who provides the foundation of any juvenile justice facility or program, must serve as a guardian, a good listener or counselor, a supervisor/program coordinator, and a role model. A careworker's primary responsibility is to provide care and safety for juveniles. Modeling good behavior, or setting an example, can affect juveniles more positively than any other careworker skill. A careworker needs to undergo continuous special training to assume responsibility for these various specialized skills. According to the American Correctional Association (ACA), a minimum standard of 120 hours of training must be provided during the first year of employment as a careworker, followed by an additional 40 hours each subsequent year. ACA-suggested topics to be covered in the careworker's training program are outlined as are various training approaches.