Curriculum

Probation    

Probation is a legal status created in the Ohio Revised Code and ordered by the Court, which permits a juvenile to remain in the community under the supervision and guidance of a Probation Officer. The youth's progress in meeting probation goals determines the term of the probationary period.

The Stark County Juvenile Supervision Service Department's purpose for the Court is to maintain and protect public safety. The goal of the Stark County Family Court's Probation Department is to provide public safety by bringing practices more in line with what works to reduce a youth's likelihood to reoffend. This likelihood can be addressed by identifying needs and delinquency related risk factors through evidence based assessment tools.

Evidence Based Probation

The OYAS assessment is used to determine a youth’s placement on the Evidence Based Probation Continuum. Once placed on the continuum, a standardized process is used to define behavioral progress, or lack thereof. This standardized process determines movement on this Probation continuum. 

Low Risk

Probation Case Management

  • Goal development
  • Support planning and implementation
  • Service assessment, referral, and connection
  • Progress/regression management

Moderate Risk

Intensive Probation Supervision

  • Case plan development and implementation
  • Probation conditions and supervision
  • Required to follow all treatment recommendations
  • Prescriptive Choices program delivery
  • Choices module(s) implementation. Practice with everyday interactions/feedback and continued practice
  • Progress/regression management
  • Private or Court placement

High Risk

Intensive Probation Supervision

  • Case plan development and implementation
  • Probation conditions and supervision
  • Required to follow all treatment recommendations
  • Choices program delivery
  • Choices program implementation. Practice with everyday interactions/feedback and continued practice
  • Progress/regression management
  • Potential for judicial case review(s)
  • Private or Court placement

Probation Life Skills

  • Upon referral from Probation, this service assists with increasing life skills
  • School advocacy, liaison, and truancy reduction planning (partnering with Court Care Team FSS)
  • Job skills instruction and assistance
  • Mentoring
  • Community service completion
  • Connection to community prosocial activities

Pretrial Services

Pretrial Services is an intensive face-to-face monitoring and electronically monitored house arrest. Two populations are served by this program: a) youth released from detention pending further Court hearings and b) probation youth ordered onto house arrest as a sanction in response to a rules infraction. Approximately forty percent of the youth in the program are monitored via electronic means; the other sixty percent are monitored twice per week by officers who contact the youth randomly. The purpose of the program is to ensure that youth appear at all Court hearings and refrain from delinquent behavior while in the program. 

High Fidelity WrapAround Services

High Fidelity Wraparound is a multi-faceted intervention strategy designed to keep delinquent youth at home and out of institutions. The strategy involves addressing unmet needs, and “wrapping” a comprehensive array of individualized services and support networks “around” young people. Stark County Family Council is the administrative agent for the program and coordinates referral, case assignment, and quality assurance. Cases are assigned to Wraparound Service Coordinators housed in various community agencies. The Strengths, Needs, and Culture Discovery assessment process identifies challenges and engages families to assist determining the type of assistance the family needs. When a case is formally opened, a family-child team is recruited to participate in development and implementation of the individualized service plan. Successful completion of the program usually takes six to nine months.

Satellite Offices

The Stark County Family Court Probation Department also maintains satellite offices in Massillon and Alliance. This is to better serve families and maintain community connections within these respective communities.