MISSION STATEMENT

We are dedicated to working with juvenile offenders, their families, victims and the community by utilizing evidence based practices and balanced and restorative justice to build competencies, reduce recidivism, restore victims and protect the community..

The Lehigh County Juvenile Probation Department has the responsibility to the community for delivering necessary and appropriate services for juveniles and families that come before the Juvenile Court

Juveniles between the ages of ten and eighteen are referred to our department for allegedly committing delinquent offenses. Police departments are the primary referral source. Youth and families referred to the Juvenile Probation Department today are in need of much more time and attention than ever before. So it is critical that they are properly assessed to determine what risk the youth poses to the community and what areas of their lives need to be addressed to reduce the likelihood of reoffending.

The outcome of each case is determined by the unique circumstances of each juvenile's life. The recommendation of the probation officer takes into consideration the strengths and weaknesses in the following areas: family and peer relationships, behaviors in the home and community, drug and alcohol use, mental health, attitude, and educational or employment status. These findings assist the probation officer in recommending the type of probation supervision and the specific conditions of that supervision and in establishing a case plan with the cooperation of the juvenile and family. The case plan is intended to address those areas of a juvenile's life that are likely to contribute to reoffending. The Probation Department may consider the following types of supervision in deciding the outcome of a case: Informal Adjustment, Consent Decree, Probation or Placement. The Informal Adjustment and Consent Decree do not require a court hearing and supervision is for a specific period of time. A juvenile must appear in court and be found guilty on the alleged charges before there is a recommendation of Probation or Placement. A recommendation of Placement is reserved for those youth who pose a serious risk to the community due to the severity of the offense or because the juvenile is a repeat offender. A recommendation of Placement may also be made because previous attempts to provide supervision in the community have failed or if the juvenile is a serious risk to themselves due to their abuse of drugs or alcohol or severe mental health issues. Whenever possible, all attempts will be made to address these issues in the community.

The Juvenile Probation Department is a community-based operation. Probation officers are stationed in schools and strive to be visible and accessible to the community. The Juvenile Probation Department continues to solicit communities to be more involved in developing programs to help troubled delinquent youth become productive. The Juvenile Probation Department partners with Lehigh County Children and Youth and Lehigh County Mental Health / Intellectual Disabilities Program in cases that have multi-system involvement. A Youth Crime and Violence Task Force chaired by our department consists of representatives from the following agencies: Allentown School District, Juvenile Court Judge, Probation Staff, Social Service staff, Faith Community, victim services, police, counseling agencies, physician, Lehigh County District Attorney and Lehigh County Public Defender as well as other entities that interact with youth on a regular basis. By meeting monthly we continue to plan for the on-going development of these partnerships. We anticipate that these partnerships and specialized programs will aid the department in holding youth accountable in the community, provide for public protection and enable these youth to develop competencies.

The Juvenile Probation Department management and staff have been consistently recognized by the Pennsylvania Juvenile Court Judges Commission for their dedication and commitment to youth. The department is proud of their accomplishments and will continue to provide the best possible services for its clients and the communities we serve.

More Information

Juvenile Detention Center

Juvenile Detention Center Visits

Directions to the Juvenile Detention Center