Missouri Juvenile Officer Performance Standards

After reviewing the recommendations by the Missouri Juvenile Standards Work Group, and in the exercise of the authority under section 211.326, RSMo, the state courts administrator has adopted the Missouri Juvenile Officer Performance Standards (2017), which are intended to provide guidance and direction as to the legal mandates and ethical obligations of the juvenile officer in meeting challenges of the multifaceted and important role in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems and to elevate practice and accountability in each juvenile office. The implementation strategy of the new standards integrates the aspirational values and intent of the existing standards with performance based standards that address current and emerging issues in juvenile justice and child welfare.

Standard 1.6: Juvenile Officer Complaint Process and Form

As required by Standard 1.6 of the Missouri Juvenile Officer Performance Standards (2017), the state courts administrator has established a complaint process to provide an independent and centralized reporting resource for the fair and appropriate review and assessment of concerns relating to the chief juvenile officer of each judicial circuit. Complaints subject to review will include those specific to the chief juvenile officer and related to compliance with the Missouri Juvenile Officer Performance Standards (2017). The complaint process will not address employment-related complaints or specific case outcomes as the same is more appropriately addressed through existing personnel policies or legal processes. Once received, all meritorious complaints will be referred to the appropriate presiding judge authority for review and resolution.

» To file a complaint, complete the fillable complaint form and return it to the Missouri Office of State Courts Administrator via email at Complaint.JuvenileOfficer@courts.mo.gov. This form is also available to print and complete by hand.

Internal employee complaints concerning administrative or employee matters that are filed through this process will be deemed “inappropriate for response,” and should be filed through the appropriate employee grievance process, as applicable.

Juvenile Officer Weighted Workload
The Juvenile Officer Weighted Workload system estimates the need for additional direct service deputy juvenile officers in Missouri’s 35 multi-county circuits. It compares the number of staff hours required to screen and process juvenile court referrals and supervise youth in accordance with the Missouri Juvenile Officer Performance Standards (2017), with the actual number of staff hours available to juvenile courts to complete these direct service activities. Workload studies are replicated periodically to ensure their accuracy. The Juvenile Officer Weighted Workload studies completed to date are available for review at the links below.