DJJ Careers - Needed Exams

Juvenile Correctional Officer 1 

Per O.C.G.A. § 35-8-8(a) (8), applicants who are not P.O.S.T.-certified must pass a job-related Academy Entrance Exam before applying for a Law Enforcement (JCO 1) position with the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice. The Department of Juvenile Justice adheres to these standards in their entirety. 

All applicants who obtain employment as a Juvenile Correctional Officer 1 will enter a six-week Basic Juvenile Correctional Officer Training (BJCOT) Academy to become POST-certified.  

To enter into the BJCOT, you must submit with the application proof of having a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university or provide passing test scores on the SAT, ACT, CPE, Compass, Asset or Accuplacer.

POST Entrance Exam

The P.O.S.T. Council uses the ASSET or COMPASS exam as the official P.O.S.T. Entrance Exam for law enforcement candidates. The ASSET or COMPASS exams are administered through the Technical College System of Georgia. 

The COMPASS exam is a computer-based exam that provides immediate results. The ASSET exam is a paper and pencil version that will provide results in approximately 10 business days. Both of these exams measure reading, writing and numerical skills*. Applicants obtaining a passing score on the P.O.S.T. Entrance Exam may be considered for P.O.S.T. certified positions within the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice. 

There is a fee of $15.00 - $25.00 to take either of these exams. The fee is payable at the exam location. 

Applicants who do not pass may register to retake the exam after 30 days. 

P.O.S.T. Entrance Exam Access Form

• You must take a completed copy of the P.O.S.T. Examination Access Form with you to take the test. 
• For additional POST Information, please visit Georgia POST.

Additional Information

*P.O.S.T. does not require a passing score on the numerical portion of the exam; however, completing the numerical portion is required to receive a score. The numeric score does not determine successful passing of the exam. 

What is the COMPASS exam?

The Official Code of Georgia (O.C.G.A 35-8-8) requires each candidate for peace officer certification, including correctional officers, to complete a job-related academy entrance examination approved by the POST Council in conformity with state and federal law. The POST Council adopted the COMPASS exam as the POST Entrance Exam. Specifically, the COMPASS exam is a computer-based test that will measure the competencies of Reading, Writing and Numerical abilities.