Juvenile Justice Officer & Juvenile Court Counselor Certification

The Criminal Justice Standards Division is responsible for verifying that every applicant for a Juvenile Justice Officer or Juvenile Court Counselor position meets the requirements listed below.

The Department of Public Safety-Division of Juvenile Justice the hiring and employing agency. For information on available jobs, please visit its website.

Under 12 NCAC 9B .0101, 12 NCAC 9B .0116, and 12 NCAC 9B .011 7 every person employed as a Juvenile Justice Officer or Juvenile Court Counselor shall:

Be a citizen of the United States.
Be at least 20 years of age.
Education
- Juvenile Justice Officer must be a high school graduate or have passed the General Educational Development Test indicating high school equivalency; or
- Juvenile Court Counselor must have attained a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher learning.
Be of good moral character.
Not have committed or been convicted of:
- A felony.
- A crime for which the punishment could have been imprisonment for more than two years.
- A crime or unlawful act defined as a “Class B misdemeanor” within the five year period prior to the date of application for employment.
Four or more crimes or unlawful acts defined as “Class B misdemeanors” regardless of the date of conviction; or
Four or more crimes or unlawful acts defined as “Class A misdemeanors” except the applicant may be employed if the last conviction occurred more than two years prior to the date of application for employment.
Have been fingerprinted and a search made of local, state, and national files to disclose any criminal record.
Have been examined and certified by a licensed physician or surgeon to meet physical requirements necessary to properly fulfill the officer’s particular responsibilities and shall have produced a negative result on a drug screen.
Have been administered a psychological screening examination by a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist licensed to practice in North Carolina or by a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist authorized to practice in accordance with the rules and regulations of the United States Armed Forces within one year prior to employment by the employing agency to determine the officer’s mental and emotional suitability to properly fulfill the responsibilities of the position.
Have been interviewed personally by the Department head or a representative to determine such things as the applicant’s appearance, demeanor, attitude, and ability to communicate.
Notify the Standards Division of all criminal offenses which the officer is arrested for or charged with, pleads no contest to, pleads guilty to or is found guilty of. This shall include all criminal offenses except minor traffic offenses and shall specifically include any offense of Driving Under The Influence (DUI) or Driving While Impaired (DWI). A minor traffic offense is defined as an offense where the maximum punishment allowable by law is 60 days or less.

Documentation of Criminal Charges:

When an applicant has a criminal record, he/she must list ALL charges, regardless of the disposition or the date of the charge, on the Personal History Statement and the Report of Appointment / Application for Certification. Even if a charge was dismissed by the court or the district attorney, it still must be listed under the Criminal Offense Record section of these forms. Every charge listed must be accompanied by true/certified copies of the warrant for arrest, citation/magistrate’s order, etc. and the court disposition/judgment. This documentation may be obtained from the Clerk of Court’s Office in the county in which the applicant was criminally charged.

Failure to list ALL charges may result in denial of certification, or suspension/revocation of an existing certification.