Home
Benton County Juvenile Department
Our Mission
Protection of the communities and youth through the balanced approach of Accountability, Community Protection and Competency Development.
Our Purpose
To provide a continuum of supervision and rehabilitation services to youth and families referred to the Juvenile Department in a manner consistent with the balanced approach.
We believe that our youth are the most important members of our community. We are committed to working with families to support the growth of necessary skills to live responsibly, safely, and productively in our communities. In unison with families and our community partners, we believe we can strengthen the opportunities for our youth to contribute to a resilient and thriving community.
The Benton County Juvenile Department provides services to children and youth from birth to 23 years of age. The department uses a balanced approach based upon:
Community Safety – Contribute to resilient and livable communities through community service and partnerships with public service entities. Continue to work in concert with our justice system partners to ensure a sense of safety and belonging in our neighborhoods.
Accountability – Empower and encourage our youth to fully understand and take responsibility for their impacts on others and their community. Provide our youth with opportunities for personal growth, so that they can continue to build resilience and responsibility towards their peers and community members.
Competency Development – Develop the skills to make healthier choices that benefit all community members, while strengthening the resiliency needed to sustain safe and thriving communities.
An individual case plan is developed for each youth referred to the department. The case plan matches available services to the needs of the youth and addresses the three elements of the balanced approach.
Our Values and Core Competencies
Benton County Juvenile Department strives to provide these Core Competencies:
Integrity – Juvenile Department employees will show integrity in all interactions with our clients, internal and external stakeholders, and ourselves. We will take responsibility for our actions, decisions, and duties, even if they are unfavorable.
Communication – We value open and honest communication with our clients, families, stakeholders, and each other. While the information shared may be unpleasant, we will communicate honestly and responsibly in all situations.
Service – We will serve the community with public safety, accountability, and competency development foremost in our goals and actions. While understanding that service may look different with individual caseloads.
Stewardship – We will strive to use our resources where they will have the greatest impact on our clients. We will continue to work with our community partners, internal partners, and ourselves with shared goals to sustain a climate of shared responsibility.
Teamwork – We will work with internal and external stakeholders to maximize the impact on the community. We will take personal responsibility for collective successes and will strive to mitigate the risks.