Juvenile Department guides youth offenders

Robbie Johnson - Juvenile Director | Michelle Hughes - Juvenile Counselor Supervisor | Alejandro Escobedo - Juvenile Counselor | Carolina Castro - Juvenile Counselor

Juvenile Departments in Oregon were established to promote public safety and reduce juvenile delinquency through accountability and effective intervention. Juvenile counselors are youth probation officers who work with youth and their families to meet the requirements of the courts. The Hood River County Juvenile Department is made up of two juvenile counselors, a juvenile counselor supervisor, and Director Robbie Johnson.

The department processes referrals from law enforcement and handles these cases in two different ways. First time referrals for low level misdemeanor or violation offenses, like MIPs (minor in possession) or shoplifting, are handled through a short informal process that allows youth to avoid the court system. Other more serious cases are managed through a formal court process. Youth have the right to have court appointed attorneys to assist them and often formal probation is ordered. Probation conditions typically include community service, restitution or apologies to victims, drug and alcohol or mental health treatment services if needed, skill building work, curfew, and firearm restrictions. Additionally, the department focuses on school success and any behavioral concerns happening at home for the youth. The goal of the Hood River County Juvenile Department is to assist youth in being successful on probation and help them remedy the issues that brought them before the department.

Currently, Hood River County juvenile cases are on the rise, with an uptick in aggressive behaviors, assault, and sexual assault since 2022 after caseloads were reduced 50% during the pandemic. In March of 2022, the department also took over juvenile traffic, game and boating crimes that had previously been remanded to adult court. “What was expected to be a minor impact has been significant,” Johnson said.

Youth who are a danger to themselves or others or are struggling with following the rules set out by the court, may be placed at the NORCOR Detention Facility. Beyond short term detention, NORCOR also operates a 30-day detention-based program and a 90- to 120-day treatment and stabilization program that can be accessed by juvenile departments in the Eastern region as well as the Oregon Youth Authority.

Hood River County Juvenile
Department Director Robbie Johnson

Since youth offenders are involved, cases at the Juvenile Department are generally not made public. Additionally, through new legislation taking effect in January 2024, most cases will be automatically expunged when a youth turns 18. This provides youth with an opportunity to deal with their challenges and not have any potential limitations on their record in the future.

Many community partners are instrumental to Juvenile Department case success including the Hood River County Prevention Department, the Hood River County School District, ODHS (Oregon Department of Human Services), and local treatment providers like Mid-Columbia Center for Living, The Next Door and Providence Behavioral Health. The Juvenile Department has also recently developed a partnership with SafeSpace Children’s Advocacy Center to provide victim advocate services for victims of juvenile crimes.

One of the overarching goals of the Juvenile Department is preventing further involvement in the criminal justice system while helping youth repair the harm they have caused through restitution, community service, and skill building. “Most cases are the result of kids making mistakes or bad choices,” Johnson adds. “Our role is to hold them accountable and offer resources to help them make better choices. If they do, they have a roadmap for staying out of the system in the future.”

Many factors contribute to a youth’s ability to stay on a positive path, such as having engaged parents or guardians who are informed and proactive regarding drug and alcohol or mental health concerns, having positive peer relationships, and being actively involved in school and other pro-social activities. The Hood River County Prevention Department offers numerous resources that can help parents or youth in need.