Provide a safe and secure environment for adjudicated and detained youth and the staff.
Ensure compliance with rules and regulations.
Perform searches of living quarters and areas, buildings, and grounds.
Transport juvenile residents to court, appointments, and daily activities.
Observe and report individual and group interactions and resident participation in treatment programs.
Update logs, maintain detailed records, and share information to support the rehabilitation process.
Be a mentor and act as a role model.
Counsel, support, and advise residents regarding peer interactions, rules, and regulations, health and safety standards, and treatment strategies.
Assist juvenile residents in meeting appropriate standards of behavior.
Evaluate the potential for negative interactions and respond with trauma-informed interventions and behavior management.
Communicate with and de-escalate juvenile residents exhibiting difficulty interacting with others in the social environment.
Desirable Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
To successfully perform the assigned work once hired, one must possess certain knowledge, skills, and abilities. These can be learned on the job and through the top-of-the-line education and training that is provided by Maine Department of Corrections. These include:
Knowledge of:
Adolescent development and behavior.
Methods of providing care, custody, and supervision of juvenile residents in our care.
Counseling techniques and modern security principles and practices.
Trauma informed care.
Restorative justice practices.
Ability to:
Model appropriate behavior, attitude, ethics, and morals.
Provide guidance and leadership to juveniles.
Communicate clearly and effectively in both verbal and in writing.
Maintain order and supervise juveniles, individually and in groups.
Assess adverse situations and act according to appropriate protocol.
Exercise independent judgment, discretion, and self-control.
Establish and maintain effective working relationships.
Observe and communicate situations and resident behavior in detail.
Prepare detailed reports
Benefits
Health insuranceVision insurance
Additional Information
If you are a current State of Maine employee, please submit your application through the internal application process using the Find Jobs report in PRISM. Seasonal employees who do not have PRISM access should apply through the State's career page and indicate on the application that they have previously worked for the State.
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Juvenile Program Officer - Long Creek Youth Development Center, South Portland.
Pay Grade - 16: $26.06 - $31.28/hr. (This rate includes $1/hr. institutional stipend) $54,204.80-$65,062.40 annually not including Shift Differentials or Premium Overtime Rate.
Learn About the Role and Hiring Process (VIDEO): https://www.maine.gov/corrections/careers/jpw
No experience necessary. Paid training with State Certification provided.
Night, Weekend, and Shift Differentials, Premium Overtime Pay, and Merit and Longevity Increases. Lateral credit considered for experience in working with adolescents or as a Correctional Officer.
Job Class Code: 5216
Open: October 1, 2025
Close: Posted until filled
________________________________________________________________________________ Juvenile Program Workers are youth correctional officers and first responders at Long Creek Youth Development Center. The detained and committed juvenile residents of Long Creek are ages up to 21 years old and often have a history of trauma, chronic behavioral issues and/or aggression, and concurrent mental health and substance use disorders. The primary role of this position is to provide safety and security for the justice-involved youth and staff at Long Creek. This includes being a role model, enforcing rules and regulations, monitoring juvenile resident behavior, and utilizing crisis de-escalation techniques in emergency situations.
Through the Maine Model of Corrections, compassion plays a vital role in treating and rehabilitating those in our care. We seek candidates who are able to foster positive relationships with juvenile residents while holding them accountable and maintaining appropriate boundaries. Successful JPWs come from all walks of life. Bring your desire and commitment to be a positive influence and we will prepare you with the best training and education to begin a stable and rewarding career.
Minimum Requirements to Apply:
At least 18-Years-Old.
HS Diploma or Equivalent (HiSET, GED, etc.).
Valid driver's license to apply, Maine driver's license upon hire.
No serious criminal or extensive motor vehicle records. See Automatic Disqualifiers at https://www.maine.gov/dps/mcja/training/basiccorrections/standards.htm
Schedule:
We are a 24/7/365 secured facility with 12-Hour shifts.
Base schedule of working 7 out of 14 days per pay period. Three days on and four days off one week, then four days on and three days off the next. HALF OF THE SCHEDULED YEAR OFF!
NO MANDATED OVERTIME ON YOUR SCHEDULED DAYS OFF unless in extremely rare, emergency cases.
Maine · South Portland, ME