Juvenile Probation Officers: Safe and Sound?

Abstract

Juvenile probation officers have expressed concerns about their safety, particularly while conducting field visits in probationers’ homes and communities. Few studies have been completed regarding juvenile probation officer safety. Sixty-six juvenile probation officers were surveyed to determine their victimization, concerns about their safety, beliefs about carrying firearms, and their philosophy about their role as a juvenile probation officer. Officers’ were more frequently verbally threatened rather than physically injured and more incidents occurred in the office versus the field. Implications regarding modifications to organizational culture, policies, and practice as well as future research are discussed.