Juvenile Department

Juvenile Department

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Mission Statement | Commitment to Restorative Justice | Jobs | Contact Us | Map

Mission Statement, Values and Guiding Principles

Mission Statement

The mission of the Clackamas County Juvenile Department is to provide prevention, intervention and juvenile justice services to youth and families so they can experience positive change, repair harm to victims, and become contributing members of our community.

Values

Integrity, Collaboration, and Excellence

Guiding Principles

  • To honor diversity and to treat all persons with respect.
  • To involve youth, families, and community partners in creating an effective and responsive department.
  • To strive to be innovative leaders in the field of juvenile justice.
  • To incorporate evidence based practices in our work with youth and families.
  • To honor victim's rights and interests throughout all phases of the justice system; To invite victim's participation in determining how to meaningfully address harm.
  • To provide opportunities for youth to repair harm to victims and communities.
  • To engage youth to have positive involvement in their communities.
  • To foster open communication and team work in a supportive work environment.
  • To demonstrate ethical and honest behavior in all that we do.

Commitment to Restorative Justice

The Clackamas County Juvenile Department is committed to the philosophical principles and values of Restorative Justice. Restorative Justice is focused on balanced support and meaningful outcomes for youth offenders, crime victims, and the community.

Offenders need to be held meaningfully accountable, given opportunities to develop new skills, supported for integration into the community, including developing and enhancing their social competencies, and for some - at least temporarily incarcerated. Meaningful accountability directly addresses the resulting harms of their actions, encourages empathy and responsibility, and works to motivate them to be positive, contributing citizens in their community.

Crime victim's individual and specific interests need to be valued and responded to. Often those interests include: providing information on the steps being taken to address the harm done to them; eliciting and acknowledging how they were harmed and subsequently impacted; and encouraging their voice and participation in determining what steps are necessary to address the harmful impacts of the youth's actions.

Finally, communities need to have their voices heard as crime victims and empowered to share in the responsibility for the welfare of its members (including victims and offenders) while ensuring that the necessary resources, skills, and attention is given to develop safe and thriving communities. Community members need to feel safe in their community and have a critical role in working with the system to establish an environment in which safety emerges.

A restorative approach to crime addresses all of these fundamental goals. Youth offenders are held meaningfully accountable, crime victims are heard and empowered, and communities are engaged both as stakeholders that have been negatively impacted and as advocates to make things right for the crime victim, offender and community.

Jobs

On-Call Relief Worker
Qualified applicants will have at least 6 months experience working with at-risk youth. The most competitive applicants will have an Associate's Degree or higher in Criminal Justice, related field or any combination of education, training and experience that demonstrates the required knowledge, skills and abilities needed for this position.

Contact Us

Clackamas County Juvenile Department
Open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Thursday
2121 Kaen Road
Oregon City, OR 97045
Phone: 503-655-8342
Fax: 503-655-8448

Clackamas County Juvenile Intake and Assessment Center
(a part of Clackamas County Juvenile Department)
Open 24 Hours
2121 Kaen Road
Oregon City, OR 97045
Phone: 503-650-3180
Fax: 503-650-3176

Map

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Servicios en Español

Con el aumento de la población Hispana en el estado de Oregon hay una necesidad grande para servicios en español en el condado de Clackamas. El departamento juvenil es uno de los varios departamentos en el condado que tiene servicios en español para atender a la población hispana. El departamento juvenil tiene consejeros que hablan español, intérpretes disponibles para audiencias en corte, para los abogados, y servicios de tratamiento en español.

El departamento juvenil ofrece servicios de libertad condicional, programas alternativos dentro del departamento, y en la comunidad para jóvenes y familias en español. También nos esforzamos para ofrecer información en español y en inglés como las cartas de cita y los formularios para las familias.

En la cita inicial, el consejero entrevistará al joven y su familia para obtener información de familia y referencia criminal. La participación de los padres o guardianes es importante en los servicios que el departamento ofrece. La mayoría de la información de los antecedentes del joven es obtenida por medio de la familia, Por lo tanto la comunicación es muy importante.

Si desea más información en español, por favor comuníquese con Bekah Evans por correo electrónico: bevans@clackamas.us o llamando al 503-722-6557.

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Emancipation Information

Emancipation is a legal process where qualified 16- and 17-year olds are granted the status of having reached adulthood. It means they can function as adults, enter into contracts, and sue and be sued. Emancipated minors are considered adults in the eyes of the criminal justice system. They are subject to the adult courts and jail for law violations. Emancipated minors are no longer subject to juvenile court jurisdiction. Emancipation, however, does not affect the marriage or voting age.

To attain emancipated minor status, juveniles must be fully self-supporting, have an adequate place to live and be able to demonstrate sufficient maturity and responsibility in order to function on their own—without adult supervision.

Factors to be considered

The following general guidelines are used by the Court in verifying if a youth can be considered for emancipation:

  • Whether the parent of the minor consents to the emancipation.
  • Whether the minor has been living away from the family home and is substantially able to be self-maintained and self-supported without parental guidance and supervision.
  • Whether the minor can demonstrate that he or she is sufficiently mature and knowledgeable to manage his or her affairs without parental assistance.
  • The youth must be employed at least 25 to 30 hours per week at minimum wage or more for at least 3 months and be able to furnish a most recent payroll document. (Exception: Other source of income such as social security trust.)
  • The youth must have graduated from high school, have received a GED, or be attending an educational or vocational school full- time.
  • Have at least one month's salary in a checking or savings account. (Minimum $800).
  • The youth must be able to provide his or her own medical insurance or be able to continue under parent's coverage. The youth must show documentation from a health care provider proving eligibility and availability.
  • If living away from parental home, be established in a residence for two or three months. The residence cannot be with the youth's boyfriend or girlfriend. (Exception: If emancipation is needed to enter into rental agreement, youth must furnish documentation so indicating.)
  • Maturity and responsibility: Youth must demonstrate ability to be on his/her own without adult supervision by the following:
    • parental testimony;
    • recommendation from reliable adults;
    • reports from school instructors or employers; and,
    • development and submission of monthly budget.
  • There shall be no pending law violations involving the youth.

It is common for the Juvenile Court Judge to expect the minor to come to court prepared with a budget, a stable source of income, a stable residence, and transportation and school issues addressed.

A Decree of Emancipation serves only to:

  • Recognize a minor as an adult for the purposes of contracting and conveying, establishing residence, suing and being sued, and recognize the minor as an adult for purposes of criminal laws of the State of Oregon.
  • Terminate most parental responsibilities to the emancipated minor.
  • A decree of emancipation does not affect any age qualification for purchasing alcohol or the requirements for obtaining a marriage license, nor declare the person to have reached the age of majority.

The Emancipation Process

Prior to filing for emancipation a youth will meet with a juvenile department counselor who can answer questions, guide the youth through the process and counsel the youth on the viability of an emancipation.

Once the youth has decided to go forward with the emancipation application the youth must go to the juvenile department in the county where he or she resides and file an application with the associated fee. The filing fee is nonrefundable. Once the application for emancipation has been filed, the Juvenile Court will assign a juvenile department counselor who will answer questions, ask questions in order to gather relevant information, and prepare a report which summarizes the significant issues and concludes with a recommendation to the judge. The court will conduct a preliminary hearing within ten (10) days of the date of filing. A final hearing will be held no later than sixty (60) days after filing.

Parents are notified of any emancipation proceeding. At the preliminary hearing the youth is informed of the civil and criminal rights and liabilities of an emancipated minor and an emancipation hearing date is scheduled.

At the emancipation hearing the judge will hear testimony, review materials presented and ask questions. The minor must be prepared with relevant documents and answers to questions at the time of the hearing.

If the minor is emancipated, he or she is provided a copy of the Decree of Emancipation and instructed to obtain an Oregon driver's license or an Oregon identification card through the Oregon Department of Transportation which makes a notation of the minor's emancipated status.

Miscellaneous Information

  • There are some states that will honor the emancipation granted by the State of Oregon, but others will not. It is the responsibility of the youth to research this issue, if interested.
  • There is a filing fee which is not refundable.
  • If emancipation is granted, it is not possible to reverse the decree.
  • Emancipation applications can only be processed in the county of the residence of the parent or legal guardian.
  • Emancipated minors are subject to jurisdiction of the adult courts for criminal offenses.
  • It is not unusual for parents to want to emancipate their child, however, this action must be initiated by the person being emancipated.
  • Per ORS 419B.555, the juvenile court shall conduct a preliminary hearing on the minor's application for emancipation within 15 days of the date on which it is filed or as soon as possible thereafter. The final hearing shall be held no later than 60 days or as soon as possible after the date on which the application is filed.

If you have further questions, you can contact us.

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Community Connections

In collaboration with our partners, we enable youth offenders to address harm caused in their own communities as a result of their offense.  We strive to do this through local service projects that are meaningful to the community and simultaneously build the work and social competencies of the referred youth. 

We are committed to:

  • holding youth offenders accountable to fulfill their obligations as community members
  • connecting youth with citizens and agencies in their own communities
  • supporting youth in developing practical job skills, improving attitudes, and strengthening confidence to find meaningful employment
  • expanding their educational and life experiences
  • providing a positive work environment for youth
  • expanding and cultivating meaningful community partnerships, involvement, and projects
  • applying the values and principles of balanced and restorative justice in our practice

Program Benefits

  • Provides community agencies and citizens an opportunity to play an active role in the lives of their community’s at-risk youth.
  • Community agencies receive volunteer support from youth obligated to give back to their community in meaningful ways.
  • Meaningful relationships and connections are established between youth, community citizens, and community agencies.
  • Youth expand and strengthen networks and support systems while developing employment, education, social skills, and competencies.
  • Provides an opportunity for youth to identify a new role and context for themselves in their community and to create a vision for their future that involves community connection.

What kinds of Projects are Ideal?

To successfully meet all the goals of the program, We give priority to partners which emphasize and provide projects that:

  • provide relief and support to community members in need
  • enhance and beautify public spaces
  • support community events or activities
  • provide opportunities for youth to interact with positive youth and adult role models within the community
  • build infrastructure for public spaces
  • engage advanced skill sets which can be taught to youth

Some examples of ideal projects have included:

  • set-up, tear-down, and general support for events which bring the community together
  • preparing and serving food to the elderly through the Canby Adult Center
  • general support and stuffing stockings for families in need for Fill-a-Stocking, Fill-a-Heart
  • gardening and construction jobs through the AntFarm in Sandy
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A Guide to the Juvenile Justice Process in Clackamas County for Families

Post Police Contact

After police respond to a situation where a youth may have committed a crime they will do one of the following:

What next?
After your child is taken into custody or has contact with the police, the police will write a report and send it to the juvenile department.

The juvenile department will then assign your child to a juvenile counselor or diversion panel coordinator who will meet with you to explain what is happening with your child's involvement with the juvenile justice system. This person will also help you understand all of your options.

Juvenile Justice System

The juvenile justice system is the system in charge of dealing with juvenile crime. It is different from the adult criminal system. The juvenile system concentrates on holding youth accountable for their actions, keeping the public safe, and repairing harm in the community. Below is a chart that may help you understand words that are used in the juvenile justice system that are similar to adult criminal words.

Process Timeline

If your child is taken into custody, the juvenile department will contact you immediately. If the police write a report that says that your child may have committed a crime, the juvenile department typically will contact you within 2 to 3 weeks of receiving the report. The juvenile department works hard to handle cases in a timely manner.

Right to an Attorney

You have a right to have an attorney for you or your child, at your own expense, during any point in the process. If the case goes to court, your child may qualify for a court appointed attorney.

What Is My Role As the Parent or Guardian of the Youth?

The parent or guardian plays a very important role in the juvenile justice process. Unlike adults, youth are usually dependent on family members who have a large impact on their choices. The partnership between the parent/guardian and the juvenile counselor can have a big impact on a youth's success. The staff at the juvenile department rely on the parent/guardian to help the youth through the justice process.

Family Support

Parent Empowerment Series
Emphasis is placed on empowering parents to reclaim and retain their power as authority figures in their home. To register, call 877-840-0052.

Expunction

Under most circumstances a juvenile's record can be destroyed at some point. The process of getting a juvenile record and associated police reports destroyed is called an expungement. Learn more about the process.

Expunction Request Application
Complete this application to request expunction of your juvenile record.

Glossary of Terms

Adjudication: A court hearing where a Judge finds a youth responsible for committing a crime. The decision is made either because the youth admits to a charge, or is found responsible by a Judge through a court trial.

Ballot Measure 11: A person 15 years or older found guilty of a specific crime that requires the court to impose a minimum mandatory sentence and the person will be processed in the adult justice system.

Custody: When a youth is detained by a law enforcement agency because an officer has probable cause to believe a felony or misdemeanor crime has been committed, a statute has been violated, or the youth has a warrant out for their arrest.

Detention: Temporary and safe custody, in a secure setting, of juveniles (under age 18) who require a restricted environment for their own or the community's protection while pending legal action.

District attorney: An attorney, who is employed by the county, and who is responsible for prosecuting people who are charged with a crime.

Felony: The most serious levels of crimes.

Intake: The point when a Juvenile Counselor meets with a youth and family to gather information in order to assist in the decision making process.

Juvenile counselor: A Juvenile Counselor is the same as a Juvenile Probation Officer. This person will determine how the case should be handled based on reviewing police reports, interviewing the youth and family as well as other resources. The Juvenile Counselor also supervises the conditions and terms of the youth's status with the Juvenile Department and makes on-going decisions regarding treatment or service needs.

Misdemeanor: Levels of crimes that are less serious than felonies.

Preliminary hearing: First court hearing in a case to give the juvenile formal notice of the charges and of his/her rights, to determine whether the juvenile has an attorney and if necessary, appoint one.

Probation: Court ordered conditions and expectations of behavior resulting from a youth being found responsible for violating the law.

Referral: A police report is sent to the Clackamas County Juvenile Department through the reporting law enforcement agency.

Status offence: An offense that is only considered an offense because a person is a minor (ie. smoking, or staying out past curfew)

If you have additional questions or would like to speak with someone, please do not hesitate to contact us.

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Youth with Sexual Offending Behaviors

Each successful case supervised by the Juvenile Department involves cooperative relationships between the Juvenile Counselor, the youth's family, the District Attorney's Office, the Victim Advocates Office, school personnel, treatment providers, and any other adult that has supervisory responsibilities with the youth.

Once a sex offense referral is received from a law enforcement agency their report is reviewed by Juvenile Department staff, the District Attorney's Office, and a representative of the Victim's Advocates Office. From that point a decision is made regarding an appropriate plan of action that takes into account the nature of the alleged crime, the youth's living situation, the perspective of the victim (or their family), and the safeguards and supervision that can built around the youth. Essential to this process is the cooperation of his or her family given the fact these youth tend to need a great deal of support and accountability from those who are closest to them.

In order to assist in the decision making process, youth participate in a psychosexual evaluation with a qualified mental health professional possessing specific training and expertise regarding youth who have offended in a sexual manner. Based in part on this evaluation, the abilities and cooperation of parents or guardians, and the willingness of a youth to accept responsibility for the alleged offense, a plan is developed that will either maintain a youth in the community or move him/her to a more restrictive setting to receive treatment.

If remaining in the community appears to be a reasonable, safe, option, youth are subjected to a level of supervision and expectations that usually exceed those of youth referred for other reasons. Probationary conditions typically ordered by the court involve participation in individual, family, and group counseling specifically addressing the issues that led a youth to act out in a sexually inappropriate manner. Polygraph testing is generally a part of the treatment process as a means of ensuring a youth is being honest about his/her behaviors from the past as well as their choices and behavior over the course of treatment. Treatment usually involves a number of stages that, on average, take 12 to 18 months to complete. Toward the latter part of the process a youth is expected to complete a Clarification Letter(s), in which he/she is expected to fully take responsibility for all of the offenses he/she has known to have committed and the harm that he/she has caused through their choices to offend.

If it is initially determined that a youth is not safe to remain in the community to receive treatment, or if a youth fails to follow his/her probation conditions, a variety of residential treatment programs are available where a youth can complete sex offense specific treatment. These settings generally have staff that supervise youth 24-hours a day and have the capability to address not only sex offense issues, but other issues contributing to poor choices and behaviors demonstrated by that youth.

Finally, youth who are adjudicated for felony-level sexual offenses are required to complete a Sex Offender Registration with the Oregon State Police. These youth must register their names and addresses with the Oregon State Police once a year (near their birthdays), any time they move, change employment, or enter college. Two years after the termination of their probation, youth required to register have the option of seeking relief from registration through the court in which they were originally adjudicated.

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Skills Group Program

The Skills Group Program is committed to:

  • using evidence based principles in all group settings;
  • assisting youth in understanding the human impacts of their actions;
  • providing youth with skills which will assist them in becoming contributing community members;
  • providing opportunities for youth to meaningfully connect to their community; and
  • addressing Risk and Protective factors in youth to minimize recidivism rates.

Program Overview

The Skills Group Program is dedicated to providing facilitated group learning opportunities which focus on expanding the competencies of the youth we serve. By having eight different evidence-based curriculums, the Skills Group Program is able to direct youth into group learning scenarios which specifically target identified Risk and Protective factors.

Curriculum

Anger Replacement Training (ART)
Aggression Replacement Training is designed to provide youth with skills on what to do in anger producing situations while making the arousal of anger a less frequent occurrence.

Boys Council
In this structured environment youth participate in group activity which provides an opportunity to: learn to make positive choices; express ideas; work as a team; and strengthen resiliency.

CERTS
CERTS is designed to teach youth pro-social skills including having a better understanding of healthy relationships, how to make good decisions, types of behavior that is legal and consensual, and much more.

Empathy
Based on restorative justice principles, Individual and Community Empathy encourages youth to: take responsibility for their choices; look at preventing future harmful or illegal behavior; understand harm done to others; acknowledge their victim(s); and make a commitment to their community to repair harm they have caused.

Girls Circle
Helps girls foster self-esteem, connect with peers, and encourages self-expression.

Insights
Safety is designed as a tool to increase awareness of fire safety. Youth with fire setting offenses learn to eliminate and/or redirect their fire setting impulses.

Life Skills
Independent Living Program (ILP) is intended to provide youth with the necessary skills and information they will need to transition from living with their parents/guardians to living on their own.

Staying Connected to your Teen
A program for parents of teens that is facilitated by Samantha Furlow of Northwest Family Services on behalf of the Clackamas County Juvenile Department.

Strengthening Families
Strengthening Families is an educational program that brings children and parents and/or guardians together to learn and strengthen the entire family.

TruThought: Charting a New Course
This group focuses on addressing barriers in thinking. This corrective thinking process will use the knowledge of these barriers to implement responsible thinking steps. Through group discussion, role plays, and group and individual activities youth will learn skills to stop the tactics, change their thinking, and stay on track.

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Youth Services

Research has contributed to the use of assessments that identify a youth's risk to reoffend. This has allowed the department to develop a continuum of interventions ranging from referral to city diversion panels for low-risk youth to intensive supervision practices for high-risk youth. These targeted interventions hold youth accountable and teach new skills while simultaneously working to restore victims and community for the harm done to them. For the fourth consecutive year, the juvenile department has seen a reduction in repeat youth offenders.

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Child abuse and neglect

If you need to report child abuse or neglect, call 1-855-503-SAFE (7233).

Children have the right to:

  • permanency with a safe family
  • freedom from physical, sexual or emotional abuse or exploitation
  • freedom from substantial neglect of basic needs

Mandatory reporters

You are a mandatory reporter of child abuse or neglect if you are any of the following:

  • attorney
  • certified provider of child care or foster care or their employees
  • chiropractor
  • clergy
  • Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA)
  • dentist
  • firefighters or emergency medical technician
  • licensed clinical social worker
  • licensed practical nurses or registered nurse
  • licensed professional counselor
  • naturopathic physician
  • optometrist
  • peace officer
  • physician
  • psychologist
  • school employee
  • state or county employee

Per Oregon Revised Statutes, all Juvenile Department staff are mandatory reporters and are required by law to report to DHS any incident of child abuse and/or neglect that comes to their attention.

Find out more at Department of Human Services.

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