Juvenile Justice Careers
Juvenile Justice Careers
Find a Career With Purpose
The North Carolina Division of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention offers a variety of career paths for those who seek to make a positive impact in the lives of at-risk and justice -involved youth. From providing mentorship and supervision at one of our 10 state-operated youth facilities, to helping young people and their families navigate the criminal justice system, career opportunities are available statewide.
Juvenile Justice Careers
Juvenile Justice Step Pay Plan
The Division of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention offers a competitive step pay plan for frontline staff serving in youth services behavioral specialist, youth counselor technician, youth counselor and juvenile court counselor positions. These step pay plans include annual salary increases for the first six years of employment, based on months of experience beyond minimum position requirements. Salaries are subject to additional increases in FY 2024-25. See below for full details of these plans.
Youth Counselor Technician
Max Salary
*with 72 months experience
Youth Behavioral Specialist
Max Salary
*with 72 months experience
Youth Counselor
Max Salary
*with 72 months experience
Juvenile Court Counselor
Max Salary
*with 72 months experience
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Annual step pay increases are awarded for the following positions on the anniversary of the employee's hire date. See below for details of annual increases for youth counselor technicians, youth services behavioral specialists, youth counselor and juvenile court counselors. JJDP recruiters can help answer additional questions you may have on the step pay plan.
Facility Operations Step Pay Plan
| FY 2023-24 | FY2024-25 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step | Related Education & Experience Months Over Minimum | Youth Counselor Technician NC04 | Youth Services Behavioral Specialist NC05 | Youth Counselor NC08 | Youth Counselor Technician NC04 | Youth Services Behavioral Specialist NC05 | Youth Counselor NC08 |
| 0 | 0-11 | $36,525 | $37,727 | $40,348 | $37,621 | $38,859 | $41,558 |
| 1 | 12-23 | $39,081 | $40,367 | $43,173 | $40,253 | $41,578 | $44,468 |
| 2 | 24-35 | $41,427 | $42,790 | $45,764 | $42,670 | $44,074 | $47,137 |
| 3 | 36-47 | $43,498 | $44,929 | $48,052 | $44,803 | $46,277 | $49,494 |
| 4 | 48-59 | $45,237 | $46,726 | $49,974 | $46,594 | $48,128 | $51,473 |
| 5 | 60-71 | $46,595 | $48,127 | $51,473 | $47,993 | $49,571 | $53,017 |
| 6 | 72+ | $47,527 | $49,090 | $52,503 | $48,953 | $50,563 | $54,078 |
Court Services Step Pay Plan
| FY 2023-24 | FY 2024-25 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Step | Related Education & Experience Months Over Minimum | Juvenile Court Counselor NC09 | Juvenile Court Counselor NC09 |
| 0 | 0-11 | $44,099 | $45,422 |
| 1 | 12-23 | $46,965 | $48,374 |
| 2 | 24-35 | $50,019 | $51,520 |
| 3 | 36-47 | $53,270 | $54,868 |
| 4 | 48-59 | $56,733 | $58,435 |
| 5 | 60-71 | $60,420 | $62,233 |
| 6 | 72+ | $64,348 | $66,278 |
Juvenile Facility Operations operates two types of secure custody centers for youths in North Carolina: juvenile detention centers and youth development centers. Staff at these facilities are responsible for providing supervision, care, counseling, safety and support to youth who are in the physical custody of the Division.
Juvenile Court Services provides intake and supervision services for undisciplined and delinquent juveniles within a continuum of services that provides care and control. Juvenile Court Counselor positions provide case management services, counseling, and supervision of adjudicated or delinquent juveniles to ensure compliance with court ordered dispositions. The Court Services section maintains offices in all 100 North Carolina counties. These offices are organized in 30 districts across the state, as shown in the accompanying map.
In addition to frontline positions in Facility Operations and Court Services, the Division of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention is always seeking skilled individuals to join us in a variety of other capacities, including: