Probation and Court Services

Intake

Intake probation officers process cases from arrest and/or detention until resolution of the case.  Cases may be referred to diversion or proceed through court.  Criminal history calculations and sentencing ranges are determined by intake officers and are provided to the Prosecuting Attorney's office and the Superior Court Judge.

Supervision

After a disposition is entered after sentencing, supervising probation officers are assigned by intake.  Probation officers work closely with juveniles, their parents, service providers and school officials to monitor the disposition.  Supervision conditions may include, a probation term, community service hours, treatment requirements and many other possible conditions.  

Diversion

When a case is referred from intake to diversion, a probation officer will set up an appointment for a diversion hearing with a youth and their legal guardians.  Diversion conditions may include, a curfew, evaluation and treatment requirements, community service, restitution to a victim, school attendance and geographical restrictions.

BECCA

BECCA cases include truancy, At-Risk Youth (ARY) and Children in Need of Services (CHINS) Petitions.

Truancy

Truancy petitions are filed by school districts to lead to better educational outcomes for students.  School districts collaborate with juvenile courts to determine why students are not attending school and what efforts can lead to their success.  

At-Risk Youth

An at-risk youth is defined by statute as a child under the age of 18 who meets at least one of the following three requirements:

• Is absent from home for at least 72 consecutive hours without parental consent; or
• Is beyond parental control such that his/her behavior endangers the health, safety, or welfare of the child or any other person; or
• Has a substance abuse problem for which there are no pending criminal charges relating to the substance abuse.

The purpose of the At-Risk Youth Program is to allow parents to obtain assistance and support from the court in maintaining the care, custody, and control of their child. Only the parent of the child may file the ARY petition. "Parent" is defined as the person(s) having legal right to custody of the child and includes custodian or guardian. The ARY proceeding is a voluntary process and a parent may request a dismissal at any time.

Child in Need of Services

A child in need of services is defined by statute as a child under the age of 18 who meets at least one of the following three requirements:

• Is beyond parental control such that the child's behavior endangers the health, safety, or welfare of the child or other person; OR
• Has been reported to law enforcement as absent without consent for at least 24 consecutive hours from the parent's home, a crisis residential center, an out-of-home placement, or a court-ordered placement on two or more separate occasions and has exhibited a serious substance abuse problem or behaviors that create a serious risk of hard to the health, safety, or welfare of the child or any other person; OR
• Is in need of necessary services, including food, shelter health care, clothing, educational, or services designed to maintain or reunite the family and lacks access to or has declined to utilize these services, and whose parents have evidenced continuing but unsuccessful efforts to maintain the family structure or are unable or unwilling to continue efforts to maintain the family structure.

The purpose of the Child in Need of Services Program is to obtain a court order mandating temporary placement (for up to six months) of a child in a residence other than the home of his/her parent. The need for the placement must be based on a serious conflict between the parent and child that cannot be resolved by delivery of services to the family while the child remains at home. A child, parent, or DSHS may file a CHINS petition. A "parent" is defined as the person(s) having legal right to custody of the child and includes custodian or guardian.

Once a CHINS petition has been filed, the child may be temporarily placed, if not already placed, by DSHS in a crisis residential center, foster family home, licensed group home facility, or any other suitable residence to be determined by the Court and DSHS.