NCJ Number
206428
Date Published
February 2003
Length
31 pages
Annotation
This report analyzes the turnover rates of Texas Juvenile Probation Department personnel for fiscal year 2002 (September 1, 2001, through August 31, 2002).
Abstract
At the end of fiscal year 2002, there were 4,835 full-time, certified (or working toward certification) officers working in Texas juvenile probation departments. During this year, 644 full-time juvenile officers resigned or were terminated. An additional 108 part-time officers resigned or were terminated from the positions, bringing the total number of resignations or terminations to 752 officers. This compares with 662 officers who left their positions in fiscal year 1999. Although the absolute number was greater for fiscal year 2002, the rate of turnover for juvenile probation officers decreased 28.8 percent, and the rate for detention and corrections officers decreased 36 percent from fiscal year 1999 to fiscal year 2002. The salary supplements provided during fiscal year 2002 may have been a contributing factor in decreasing turnover rates during the period. For fiscal year 2002, significantly higher turnover rates occurred among specialized officers and line officers than among chiefs and administrators. Overall, the large departments had the highest salaries and the lowest turnover rates. Of the 255 juvenile probation officers who left their positions during fiscal year 2002, the median salary was $30,326. Nearly half of the probation officers and approximately two-thirds of detention/corrections officers remained in their job for less than 2 years before resigning. The largest percentage of juvenile probation officers who left their positions (27.8 percent) resigned for a better job opportunity; however, the most common reason for juvenile detention and corrections officers departing from their positions was termination or forced resignation (28.5 percent). Probation officers were more likely than detention and corrections officers to remain in the corrections field after leaving their position. 8 figures, 7 tables, and appended methodology, resignation/termination form, questionnaire for staffing information for turnover study, number of resignations and turnover rate per county, and salary supplements per county