DJJ Welcomes 48 New Correctional Officers

(Decatur, GA) – The Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) held a graduation ceremony for 48 newly-trained Juvenile Correctional Officer (JCO) cadets on Friday, December 8, at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth, GA. The cadets have joined the ranks of other JCOs at DJJ secure facilities across the state.

“Juvenile Correctional Officers help provide a safe environment to transform and rehabilitate the young lives in our care,” said DJJ Commissioner Shawanda Reynolds-Cobb. “I am so proud of the commitment these new officers have made to help our justice-involved youth build a brighter future. I welcome them to our team of professionals.”

Basic Juvenile Correctional Officer Training (BJCOT) is a 240-hour comprehensive program that provides basic skills training in security practices and procedures. To complete the program, a cadet must meet established standards on written examinations that evaluate cognitive knowledge and performance-oriented studies.

The graduates have been assigned to 19 DJJ secure facilities in Baldwin, Bibb, Chatham, Clayton, Crisp, Evans, DeKalb, Gilmer, Fulton, Laurens, Muscogee, Rockdale, and Terrell counties.

Here is a list of BJCOT Class #264 graduates and their hometowns:

1. Quintana Alcala                Dalton, Ga.
2. Charmainia Beaty            Atlanta, Ga.
3. Christian Carter                Atlanta, Ga.
4. Michael Cassady               Sanford, Fla.
5. Aaliyah Carter                   Statesboro, Ga.
6. Lakeshia Clark                  Augusta, Ga.
7. Stephen Cooper               Columbus, Ga.
8. Treanna Davis                   Coleman, Ga.
9. Kanesha Glenn                 Milledgeville, Ga.
10. Owesha Graddy                Dublin, Ga.
11. Brandi Gray                       Columbus, Ga.
12. Alcenda Gumbs                U.S.V.I., St. Thomas
13. Allia Harper-Brazzle         Chicago, Ill.
14. Raynay Harris                    Augusta, Ga.
15. Moziah Jackson                Belle Glade, Fla.
16. Nyia Jackson                     Decatur, Ga.
17. Lyza Jones                         Chicago, Ill.
18. Seron Jones                      Columbus, Ga.
19. Lakendria Kelly                 Greenwood, S.C.
20. Ladenesha Kendrick        Albany, Ga.
21. Tyren Lorick                      West Palm Beach, Fla.
22. Toni Lyles                          Miami, Fla.
23. Nicoisha Martin                Atlanta, Ga.
24. Laron Mathews                 Atlanta, Ga.
25. Nykia Mckenzie                Abbeville, S.C.
26. Chapale Mealing              Atlanta, Ga.
27. Tianna Monroe                 Sandersville, Ga.
28. Yusef Muhammad           Atlanta, Ga.
29. Damatrexis Owens           Cordele, Ga.
30. Jasmine Rice                     Detroit, Mich.
31. Tiana Samuel                    Orlando, Fla.
32. Dejayvious Samuels         Macon, Ga.
33. Aarin Slaughter                Albany, Ga.
34. Tori Smith                          Fort Gane, Ga.
35. Bryania Spence                Decatur, Ga.
36. Mcayla Strickland             Augusta, Ga.
37. Sarah Swindle                   Macon, Ga.
38. Brycee Taala                     Honolulu, Hawaii
39. Mikeviyon Tate                 Greenwood, S.C.
40. Stephanie S. Wade           Columbus, Ga.
41. Brittany M. Walker           Montgomery, Ala.
42. Tiffany Walker                   Dublin, Ga.
43. Chloe Walton                    Macon, Ga.
44. Jacaura Williams              Macon, Ga.
45. Shakeba Williams            Augusta, Ga.
46. Zana Williams                   McRae, Ga.
47. Sadie Wodicka                  Augusta, Ga.
48. Kendra Woollacott           Cape Cod, Maine

To learn more about career opportunities with the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice, contact the Office of Human Resources at 404-294-3431 or email [email protected].

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The Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice is a multi-faceted agency that serves the state`s justice-involved youth up to age 21. Each day, at 25 secure facilities and 77 community services offices statewide, more than 2,800 DJJ employees work diligently to effect justice, redirect, and shape the lives of young people in the agency's care so they can take responsibility for their conduct and become contributing members of society. 

While holding justice-involved youth accountable for their actions through probation supervision and secure detention, DJJ provides them with medical and mental health treatment, as well as specialized services designed to equip them with the social, intellectual, and emotional tools they will need as adults. 

As Georgia`s 891st school district, DJJ offers youth in our custody the opportunity to earn a high school diploma from an educational system accredited by Cognia. Thousands of youth are served annually, including those placed on probation, sentenced to short-term incarceration, or committed to the Department's custody by Juvenile Courts. Below, read more about our Mission, Goals, Priorities, Values, and Culture.