Juvenile probation

Hennepin County Juvenile Probation engages with the community and juvenile justice partners to promote community safety, community restoration and behavior change. The Juvenile Probation division conducts pre-sentence, extended jurisdiction juvenile and adult certification investigations for juvenile court.

Following the investigation process, youth are ordered to administrative probation or supervised probation where they receive community-based or out-of-home placement services with aftercare.

How to contact your probation officer

Contact your probation officer by phone or email.

To get your probation officer's contact information, email poconnect@hennepin.us. 

Immediate help

Call 612-348-3700.

Juvenile probation locations

Health Services Building (Courtyard)

Health Services Buildings
525 Portland Avenue, Suite 260
Minneapolis, MN 55415

Contact

• Phone: 612-596-8400

Juvenile Justice Center (Downtown)

Juvenile Justice Center
590 Park Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55415

Contact

• Phone: 612-348-3700

Penn station

Penn station
1256 Penn Avenue North, Suite 5400
Minneapolis, MN 55411

Contact

• Phone: 612-596-9700

About juvenile probation

Traditional probation

Generally, youth are assigned to probation officers in local offices close to where they live (North and South Minneapolis and the suburbs). Other juvenile clients may be assigned to specialized caseloads based on their individual needs.

Probation officers work to:

• Provide accountability and services to youth in the community.
• Respond quickly to court-ordered violations.
• Use out-of-home placement only when there is a risk to public safety.

A juvenile client's level of supervision is determined by an initial assessment. Supervision levels are reassessed at six-month intervals or as the youth’s circumstances change.

Following the assessment, the probation officer completes a case plan including goals, action steps and timelines. This case plan is developed in collaboration with the youth and family.

Supervising probation officers provide face-to-face contact in the office, home, school and community.

Investigations

Probation staff conduct pre-plea, pre-disposition, extended jurisdiction juvenile and adult certification investigation reports. These reports provide offense and case history information, diagnostic/assessment data and case plan recommendations to assist the court. 

Extended jurisdiction juvenile

This designation is for the most serious cases. Youth with this designation receive a dual sentence in juvenile and adult courts. They remain under juvenile probation supervision until age 21 unless they violate their probation, thus triggering their adult sentence.

Probation officers supervise these youth if they are in placement or in the community. They provide intensive supervision, aftercare, employment, educational and cognitive programming after discharge from residential programs.

Gender-specific probation

Every youth has unique needs, such as unresolved trauma, abuse, mental health concerns and frequent absences. Gender-specific probation officers collaborate with community agencies to provide youth with the services they need.

Sexual health

Probation officers provide intensive supervision and align youth with services in their community. They also use support groups and other therapeutic activities. These youth are ordered to complete either an outpatient treatment program or residential treatment placement.

Administrative probation

Administrative probation clients are not supervised in the same way as traditional clients. These youth have a set of conditions ordered by a judge that must be completed, but communication with a probation officer is rarely necessary.

Youth programming and services

The Juvenile Probation staff partner with county and community service providers to support youth mental health and wellbeing, and to address substance use disorders. The probation officers also work with youth to determine if they have been sexually exploited and connect them with the necessary help and resources.

As part of their efforts to empower youth in a positive way, county probation officers use a framework called growth-focused case management. The goal is to get youth focused on their positive future identity and goals. This framework also involves building community connections for youth.

Court process and definitions

The juvenile court process can be difficult to navigate. If you have any questions as you go through the juvenile justice system, call 612-348-4822 or visit the Hennepin Juvenile Court website. The staff can assist you with:

• Expungements
• Court records
• Emancipation
• Status offenses
• Petty offenses
• Curfew
• Traffic tickets 

The Hennepin County Attorney's Office may also be able to help answer questions. You can reach them at 612-348-5550.

Delinquency

In juvenile delinquency cases, a juvenile is alleged to have broken a law. Special court procedures have been created that are separate from the adult criminal process. Most juvenile court delinquency cases are not open to the public, except for serious crimes committed by youth over the age of 16. If the charge is proven in court, the court may make a finding of delinquency, and the youth may be adjudicated as "delinquent."

Assessments and evaluations

Substance use disorder assessment

This assessment includes an interview with a counselor to review a person's substance use and its impact on their daily life. The assessment addresses the youth's unique needs and may also include:

• A diagnostic test
• Review of medical, legal, mental health and treatment records
• A physical screening
• Detox services assessment
• Interviews with other people in the youth's life

Competency evaluation

Any time a youth is believed to be mentally deficient or suffer from a mental illness that would preclude them from going through the traditional court process, a competency evaluation is performed.

Diagnostic assessment

A diagnostic assessment documents a clinical evaluation of the client's mental health, behavioral difficulties and functional impairment, as well as their strengths and resources.

Neuropsychological assessment

A neuropsychological assessment addresses a client's underlying cognitive abilities related to thinking, reasoning, and judgment. This testing is conducted by a qualified neuropsychologist.

Psychiatric assessment

A psychiatric assessment is an evaluation of the causes and symptoms of a psychiatric disorder to formulate a diagnosis and a treatment plan.

Frequently asked questions

Juvenile justice system

Who is my probation officer?

Call the Juvenile Probation front desk at 612-348-3700, Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Who is my attorney?

If you have been appointed a public defender, contact the Public Defender's Office at 612-348-7530.

Does Hennepin County disclose client information to the public?

Information collected about Juvenile Probation clients is protected under federal law and will not be shared with others unless the requestor is authorized by law or with an official release of information.

I think I have a warrant for my arrest, what do I do?

Contact your probation officer or the Juvenile Detention Center.

I haven’t been in contact with my probation officer. What should I do?

Being out of contact with your probation officer may prompt an unexpected visit or trip to the Juvenile Detention Center. Call your probation officer and schedule a face-to-face meeting.

Programs and services

What are my court orders?

After your court appearance, you should have received documents listing the orders of the court. If you or your guardian do not have this document, contact your probation officer to request an additional copy and to review your conditions of probation.

Items regularly found in court orders:

• Sentencing to Service/community service (call 612-596-9250)
• Letter of apology — let your probation officer know if you need assistance with writing your letter.

I was ordered onto Electronic Home Monitoring (EHM). What does it mean and what do I do next?

If you were ordered onto EHM, you should contact 612-596-0132.

I owe restitution. How much restitution do I owe and how do I pay?

Contact your probation officer by calling 612-348-3845.

Send your checks or money orders to:

Juvenile Probation
590 Park Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55415
(Include the youth's name and date of birth on the memo line)

What is the paid work option?

Juvenile paid work is an opportunity to pay back restitution to victims through the Sentencing to Service (STS) program. To participate, the client must complete any outstanding STS and community service hours. Clients will be credited $16 per hour for successful completion of the program. Clients must follow all rules and expectations of STS and community service.

• For questions about your case, contact your probation officer.
• For questions about STS or community service, email sts@hennepin.us. 

Evaluations and assessments

How do I get a substance use disorder assessment?

If completing this assessment is a part of your probation conditions, contact your health insurance provider or your probation officer for assistance.

If an assessment is not part of your probation order, but you are interested in getting help, find care options at FastTrackerMN.

If you are a tribal member, you can also call your tribal office.

In case of emergency

In case of an emergency, use these resources:

• General emergencies and immediate danger: Call 911
• Mental health child crisis: 612-348-2233
• Sexually exploited youth hotline: 1-866-223-1111
• Emergency short-term help
• Waypoint free and low-cost service directory
• Homelessness and housing resources