Juvenile  Division

100 Chestnut Street (Second Floor)
Harrisburg, PA 17101
Phone: (717) 780-7100
Fax: (717)780-7099

Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00AM - 4:30PM

The Juvenile Division of Dauphin County Probation Services is an arm of the Juvenile Court and is responsible for the investigation and supervision of juvenile offenders who are alleged to have committed, or who have committed, felony or misdemeanor offenses prior to their 18th birthday. The mission of the Juvenile Division has always been driven by the legislatively mandated philosophy of Balanced and Restorative Justice which emphasizes three equal goals: Community Protection, Accountability, and Competency Development by juvenile offenders.

The Juvenile Division of Probation Services is comprised of several units which guide the offender through the various stages of the Juvenile Justice System. They include Court/Intake, Community-Based Supervision, School-Based Supervision, Aftercare, Community Service, and Electronic Monitoring.

In 2010, the Juvenile Justice System Enhancement Strategy (JJSES) was chosen by the PA Council of Chief Juvenile Probation Officers and the Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission (JCJC) as the strategic plan to enhance coordination of the mental health and juvenile justice systems, improving aftercare services and supports for youth and their families, and addressing disproportionate minority contact within the juvenile justice system. JJSES has allowed the Juvenile Division of Probation Services to strive to implement evidence-based services and treatment with fidelity, through every stage of the juvenile justice process. The collection and analysis of data by our Quality Assurance Unit allows us to measure the results of programming in an effort to continuously improve the quality of our decisions and services. Motivational Interviewing, Detention Risk Assessment Instrument (PADRAI), Youth Level of Service (YLS), Case Plan Development, and Graduated Responses are just a few of the activities that are utilized with the juveniles and families referred to the juvenile justice system.

The Juvenile Division has established positive and productive working relationships with many county agencies, local community-based programs, and placements to provide added supervision and protection for the juvenile offender, victims, and community. The community-based programs and placements we utilize for juveniles are determined by the Youth Level of Service (YLS) risk/need assessment and provide quality services that are guided by Evidence-Based Practices. Service providers are required to present statistical evidence that their form of treatment, counseling, and/or curriculum is reducing the juvenile’s risk of reoffending. These programs provide life skills, group and individual therapy, alternative education, drug and alcohol interventions, trauma-focused therapy, family-based services, sex offender treatment, alternatives to detention, and cognitive behavioral programming.

Our goal is to continue to provide Balanced and Restorative Justice, monitor the quality of services provided through Standardized Program Evaluation Protocol (SPEP), and increase family engagement across all services. Evidence shows that quality services in conjunction with strong family support and engagement is directly correlated to the success of a juvenile and the reduction in recidivism.