Refocus Unit: Changing and Refocusing the Mindset of Youth in Maricopa County Detention Center

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I started my career 23 years ago working as a Detention Officer for Orange County Probation Department. Within my experience I have worked with Adult Probation and Juvenile Probation as a probation officer. I have experience working in standard, sex offender, DV, and Gang caseloads.

My name is Terry Sampson, I'm originally from San Fransico, CA. and I'm passionate about our youth, football, and making a difference anyway I can. I'm currently working as a Juvenile Detention Officer since July of 2021 where I practice Fairness and respect every day. In my short time I've been a mentor to the new up and coming staff fresh out the academy, I was also selected to join the refocus unit which is a newer unit that we have had open for about 6 months now. I completed the leadership program which is ran by our Mangement team in Durango that teach us the importance of a leader and what an everyday leader looks like. My goals for myself are to continue to grow and be a light for the youth that comes in and out of our facility. I also would one day climb the leadership ladder and become a supervisor or even a manager in the near future.

I began my career with Maricopa County in 2001 as a YS (Youth Supervisor), that is what they use to call JDO (Juvenile Detention Officers) back in the day. In 2002, I became a Team Leader and shortly after that I became a JDOV, (Juvenile Detention Supervisor) as I am to this day. All in all I have served served 23 years with Maricopa County and I am pleased to say, all of my years have been in Detention. Within my time as a Juvenile Detention Supervisor, I have worked as a Unit Supervisor, a Detention/Facility Supervisor, a Training Unit Supervisor, a Transportation Supervisor, a Control Supervisor and now I am currently the Re-Focus Unit Supervisor.