Parent & Guardian Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

You are responsible for any conditions ordered by the judge at the adjudication or sentencing hearing including any financial support ordered by the court. Other conditions may require that you participate in special programs such as parenting skills classes. You may be responsible for certain health care costs. If you have medical insurance for your child, you should continue the policy in the event that your child requires medication or medical items.

Contact the Parent Reimbursement Unit at (208) 334-5100, extension 425 or see below for the Contact Us email address.

A Juvenile Services Coordinator (JSC) is a licensed social worker who provides ongoing coordination of services for youth offenders committed to the custody of the IDJC and placed in either state managed or private contact facilities.  Services include but are not limited to; case coordination/management, family services, and reintegration.  In all cases, the JSC collaborates with the  facility’s case manager and whole treatment team in providing these services.  The JSC communicates information with families, communities, courts, and with other IDJC employees throughout a youth’s commitment.  The JSC leads reintegration planning to prepare the youth for a successful release and to ensure aftercare needs are met.  The JSC is a great first contact person for families and community members to use for assistance in navigating the IDJC system.

The Rehabilitation Specialist, or Group Leader, is the case manager for a juvenile offender who has been placed at one of the state juvenile corrections centers. This individual is also responsible for a group of juvenile offenders who have been committed to the Department. This responsibility includes writing a service implementation plan and progress reports to be shared with family, community, courts, and with other Department employees. Your child’s Rehabilitation Specialist conducts monthly staffings, and is who you contact for questions and concerns if your child has been placed at a state juvenile corrections centers.

It depends on the program; please contact the state facility.

Nothing. All basic need items will be provided to your child.

If your child has been placed with a contract provider, you must speak with your child’s JSC to determine the appropriateness of the personal items. If your child has been placed at a state correctional center—JCC–Lewiston, JCC–Nampa, JCC–St. Anthony—then you must speak with your child’s Rehabilitation Specialist.

Yes. If your child has been placed with a contract provider, you would make these arrangements with your child’s JSC. If your child has been placed at one of the state correctional centers—JCC–Lewiston, JCC–Nampa, or JCC–St. Anthony—you would make these arrangements with your child’s Rehabilitation Specialist.

Yes. When your child is placed in Observation & Assessment, you will be sent a packet of information regarding family visits, letter writing, and telephone calls to your child.

Yes. When your child is placed in a program, you will be sent a packet of information describing the program and the rules regarding family visits, letter writing, and telephone calls to your child. These rules may depend on the program, but usually family visits, letters, and telephone calls are encouraged. The information packet will explain how often visits and telephone calls are allowed. Most programs allow your child to telephone family on a regular basis.

If your child is still at the county juvenile detention center, then you will be allowed to see your child during regular visiting hours. If your child has been placed at a state correctional center (JCC–Lewiston, JCC–Nampa, JCC–St. Anthony) call the appropriate state correctional center for visiting hours or you may refer to the state facilities web page. If your child has been placed with a contract provider, contact the contract provider for visiting hours, you may refer to the contract provider’s web page, or contact your child’s JSC.

In most situations, additional contacts will be requested/added at your child’s monthly staffings.  If you have questions about contacts please call your child’s Rehabilitation Specialist or JSC.

No. No one under 18 years of age may visit, unless prior permission is obtained from the Superintendent or designee of the state correctional center or contract provider program manager.

If your child has been placed at a state juvenile corrections center, contact with your child is determined by the Rehabilitation Specialist and the juvenile corrections center. If your child has been placed with a contract provider, contact with your child is determined by the contract provider and the JSC.

Yes, as soon as possible.

This will depend on how your child reduces his or her risk to reoffend through therapeutic program participation.

Release is determined when the facility and community treatment teams, consisting of the juvenile probation officer, JSC, and Rehabilitation Specialist or case manager at either a state institution or contract provider, respectively, assess the risk your child poses to the community and determine it has been reduced.

Your child may remain in detention or be moved into a juvenile corrections center for Observation and Assessment. Once this has been completed and the appropriate program has been assigned, your child will transfer to that facility/placement.   For safety reasons we are unable to provide you with their transfer dates and times ahead of time.  If your child is moved you will be contacted directly by either your child or a staff member within 24 hours of arrival.

If your child is going to be placed with a contract provider out of state, your child will be given the opportunity to notify you as soon as practical. However, actual time and date of placement will not be reported to you or your child, due to safety reasons, until the placement has been made. Notification in writing will follow.

You may call Health & Welfare, talk to school counselors, enroll in a Parent Project class, or locate a local parent support group, such as Parenting with Love and Limits. Please refer to the list of resources provided on this web site on the Resources for Parents page.

Yes. At the time your child is committed to the Idaho Department of Juvenile Corrections, you will be asked if you wish to sign a form giving permission for your child to be placed in a program in a state other than Idaho. Your child may be placed in an out-of-state program if the program best meets your child’s needs and a program like it is not available in Idaho. You will be contacted before your child is placed in an out-of-state program.

Yes. Depending on the program, your child may be able to participate in work projects to earn community service hours. Check the program information packet for more details.

Yes. The Department does everything possible to ensure your child’s safety and well-being while in state custody. All of the Department’s facilities and contract provider facilities must meet specific state safety, health, and licensure requirements.

If your child runs away from the program while still in custody, he or she will be reported to the police as an escaped felon. Escapes are considered a serious offense and will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Conviction of an escape may include spending time in county detention facilities. Juvenile offenders who escape may be sent to one of the Department’s observation and assessment centers to be retested and may be placed in a maximum security program. Parents who assist a child in escaping will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

The Department strongly encourages family involvement with your child. Your letters, phone calls, and visits are a vital part of your child’s treatment. The program information packet will have details on how you can help.

Other resources available while your child is in state custody:

Video Visitation
Family Shuttle

When your child has completed the program, you will receive a letter with his or her expected date of return home. In some cases, your child may be transferred to a less restrictive program to help get ready to come home. Your child’s juvenile probation officer will contact you regarding your child’s probation terms.

To develop productive citizens in active partnership with communities

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