Juvenile Probation Services

Otter Tail County Probation completes thorough certification studies when ordered by the Court upon petition from the prosecuting attorney when a juvenile, after becoming 14 years of age, commits an offense which would be a felony if committed as an adult. The comprehensive report includes background information, employment, education, substance use, leisure, family, mental health, victim input, and other pertinent information. The report makes recommendations to the Court for certification as an adult or under extended jurisdiction juvenile (EJJ) after consideration of statutory factors as well as recommendations for conditions of probation.

Otter Tail County Probation works with juveniles to complete their court-ordered community service work. Probation Agents refer juveniles to work sites throughout the county. These work sites have been recruited and are continually monitored. Additional work sites are located throughout the year.

In 2020, Otter Tail County Probation initiated an Adopt-A-Highway site in collaboration with the Otter Tail County Highway Department. Clean-up days are scheduled so juveniles may work together to keep our county clean. This site allows juveniles to give back to the community while strengthening pro-social relationships.

Otter Tail County Probation engages in several cognitive behavioral interventions within Juvenile Services. These cognitive behavioral interventions assist juveniles recognize negative or risky thoughts and feelings. Since thoughts precede action, learning to recognize risky thoughts and then reframe them in a positive way results in a change in outcome, effectively stopping the behavior before it becomes problematic.

3rd Millennium Classrooms
Otter Tail County Probation began to offer courses through 3rd Millennium Classrooms in February of 2020. These interactive online educational and intervention courses positively impact behavior. Juveniles may complete the programming at any time at any location, effectively reducing the barrier of transportation. Completing interactive programming in the comfort of their home allows juveniles to absorb the factual information without worrying about what their peers think about them or their responses.

Carey Guides
Carey Guides are handbooks which specifically address the criminogenic and case management needs of clients. Worksheets and Brief Intervention Tools are completed by the juvenile to assist them recognize and understand their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Otter Tail County Probation purchased the electronic version of Carey Guides in 2020 to provide the ability to assign, complete, and review juvenile work at any time and from any location. Carey Guides are utilized at no cost to the client.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Probation Agents may make referrals for cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) if the juvenile may benefit from more intensive, direct cognitive programming from a licensed therapist. CBT assists juveniles manage symptoms of their mental health, learn coping techniques, cope with grief or loss, overcome trauma, and learn overall skills to manage stressful life situations.

Cost-Benefit Analysis
Probation Agents may utilize a cost-benefit analysis to assist juveniles prioritize goals related to behavior change. Juveniles may feel overwhelmed at the idea of having so many things to accomplish or do, often with little support at home. Agents guide the juvenile through a cost-benefit analysis to assist them prioritize a ‘to-do list.’

Decisional Balance
Probation Agents may work through a decisional balance with juveniles to recognize the benefits of change when there is strong ambivalence present. This approach allows juveniles to see the pros and cons of making a change in their own words. Through visual representation and hearing their own positive reasons to make a change, juveniles are more likely to engage in the behavior change process.

Strong Teens
Strong Teens is designed to teach social and emotional skills, promote resilience, strengthen assets, and increase coping skills. The program is aimed at both prevention and early intervention for at-risk youth. Three 12-week courses are facilitated every year and serve up to 14 juveniles each session. Strong Teens meets once per week at Solutions Behavioral Healthcare in Fergus Falls. There is no cost to the juvenile or family for this program.

Thinking Reports
Thinking Reports are cognitive behavioral interventions which draw connections between a juvenile’s thoughts and their behavior. Probation Agents assist juveniles recognize risky thoughts while guiding a transition to pro-social thinking. This form of cognitive restructuring has been proven successful.

Otter Tail County Probation assumed the Juvenile Diversion Program from the Otter Tail County Attorney’s Office in February of 2020. The program was updated to fall in line with probation practices. Juveniles are diverted away from the Court as an opportunity to learn from their mistake.

Qualified juveniles incurring their first offense are referred by the Otter Tail County Attorney’s Office to the Juvenile Diversion Program with one of four offenses: Tobacco, Alcohol (non-motor vehicle), Theft (petty), and Marijuana.

Juveniles are expected to successfully complete the Juvenile Diversion Program within one month of completing the intake meeting with probation. This expectation is rooted in empirical research. Antisocial behavior should be addressed as close to the behavior as possible to achieve maximum benefit.

Otter Tail County Probation provides drug and alcohol testing for juveniles when ordered by the Court. This random testing may be performed through preliminary breath tests (PBT), urinalysis (UA), or oral swabs. Probation Agents utilize the risk reduction model, which assists juveniles learn how to live in the community free of drugs/alcohol and enjoy it.

Otter Tail County Probation utilizes electronic monitoring as an alternative to detention as ordered by the Court. Electronic Home Monitoring (EHM) may be used for house arrest, Remote Electronic Alcohol Monitoring (REAM) may be used when a juvenile is struggling with alcohol addiction, or Global Positioning System (GPS) may be used when the juvenile’s behavior warrants additional oversight.

Otter Tail County Probation completes thorough pre-disposition investigations (PDI) when ordered by the Court. This comprehensive report includes background information, employment, education, substance use, leisure, family, mental health, victim input, restitution, and other pertinent information. The report makes recommendations for conditions of probation and is utilized by the Court at disposition.

Otter Tail County Probation has generally been responsible for coordinating restitution investigations with the Otter Tail County Attorney’s Office Victim/Witness Coordinator. Juveniles may be ordered to pay restitution to cover the cost of damages through their offending behavior.

Otter Tail County Probation operates a Juvenile Restitution Work Program. The Juvenile Restitution Work Program allows juveniles to pay restitution through completing approved community service work. Restitution is paid to the victim at $10.00 per hour of community service work.

Otter Tail County Probation operates a Teen Leadership Program to turn juveniles away from delinquent behavior and toward long-term success. Through an incentive-based approach, we focus on eight categories: relationships, education, activity, health, life skills, employment, housing, and community.

We reduce barriers to reentry from an out-of-home placement as well as proactively work to prevent out-of-home placements from occurring in the first place. Understanding the risk principle, our target are those juveniles assessed as high risk or high-medium risk. Our Transition Coordinator manages a caseload of 8-10 juveniles.