Truancy Court was developed as an early intervention program in partnership with the juvenile court, juvenile justice, School District #25, and other community-based agencies to address the growing problem of truancy. Students charged with a 3rd truancy are given the option to participate in the program as an alternative to probation. Cases are evaluated by the Truancy Court Team, which consists of the Juvenile Court Judge, School Resource Officer, School Official, and the Truancy Court Coordinator. A case management plan is developed based on the Balanced Approach and the needs of the juvenile and family. Additional services, such as mental health services, substance abuse counseling, parent education, family therapy, and individual counseling, may be implemented as part of the case management plan based on the family’s needs.

Truancy Court is a mini-drug court model comprising three phases. The juveniles and their parents attend weekly scheduled Truancy Court meetings to evaluate their compliance with the conditions of the Truancy Court program. The juveniles receive rewards for compliance and sanctions for violations. To graduate from the program, both juveniles and their parents must meet the requirements of the Truancy Court program over an extended period of time. Additionally, the Truancy Court team must agree that the needs have been sufficiently addressed and that the likelihood of future truancy has been significantly reduced.

Under the standard terms and conditions of probation, juveniles may be placed on house arrest at the discretion of their probation officer. This can be done using either the Electronic Monitor Program or the Home Detention Program. Currently, up to ten clients can be supervised under the Home Detention Program, while fourteen electronic monitors are available for use. This setup allows for graduated sanctions related to incarceration.

The Juvenile Sex Offender Group is a community-based outpatient program that treats juveniles dealing with sex offender issues. The program consists of four units, which participants progress through sequentially and must master within each unit before advancing to the next. The program includes risk assessment of juvenile sex offenders, community-based group treatment, family participation, and a monthly wrap-around team meeting.

The Parent Orientation class aims to help parents better understand the role probation plays in the community, the family, and the individual.  Parents are asked to examine their influence on their child’s behavior and consider changes they need to make to help their child. The class explains to parents their responsibilities in the probation process and clearly outlines the department’s expectations for cooperation, as well as the possible consequences for noncompliance.

Parents are encouraged to ask questions about the juvenile justice system and the policies and procedures of Bannock County Juvenile Justice and Probation

Every effort will be made to ensure that each victim who may have sustained an out-of-pocket loss has the opportunity to make a fair and accurate claim for restitution and that each victim is fully compensated for their documented loss.

Victims of property crimes will be allowed to participate in the accountability area of the juvenile’s case plan through either victim-offender mediation or a victim impact panel. The Restitution Officer and/or Probation Officers can refer to the program.