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HomeGovernment CodeDiv. 5Pt. 3Ch. 4Art. 4§ 20438 County Juvenile Custody Officers

§ 20438 County Juvenile Custody Officers

Government Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 20438 County Juvenile Custody Officers

Key Takeaways

  • •Probation officers and people who work in juvenile halls or homes, and whose main job is to watch over and take care of kids there, are considered peace officers.
  • •This includes some other peace officers, even if their job title is different.
  • •It does not include teachers, psychologists, or people who provide food, health care, or other support services, even if they sometimes have to watch over kids too.
  • •This rule doesn’t automatically apply to outside groups that contract with the county unless they choose to follow it in their contract.

Example

A person works in a juvenile hall, and their main job is to watch over the kids, make sure they follow the rules, and keep them safe.

This person is considered a peace officer because their main job is to supervise and take care of the kids in the juvenile hall.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 20438 County Juvenile Custody Officers

“County peace officer” shall also include probation officers, deputy and assistant probation officers, and persons employed in a juvenile hall or home and having as their primary duty and responsibility the counseling, supervision and custody of a group of youths assigned or committed to the hall or home. It shall also include persons employed as peace officers pursuant to Section 830.5 of the Penal Code, regardless of the administrative title of the position. It shall not include persons employed as teachers, instructors, psychologists, or to provide food, maintenance, health or other supporting services even though responsibility for custody and control of youths may be incident to or imposed in connection with that service. This section shall not apply to any contracting agency nor to the employees of a contracting agency until the agency elects to be subject to this section by amendment to its contract with the board, made as provided in Section 20474 or by express provision in its contract with the board. (Added by Stats. 1995, Ch. 379, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 1996.)

Last verified: January 22, 2026

Key Terms

County peace officerprobation officersjuvenile hall or homeSection 830.5 of the Penal Codecontracting agency

Related Statutes

  • § 20439 County Jail Officer Definition
  • § 20440 Court Security Officer Definition
  • § 20441 County Park Ranger Officers
  • § 20420 Public Safety Employee Coverage
  • § 20422 Emergency Medical Personnel Inclusion

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Government Code. Section 20438.
View Official Source