Small towns can have the same problems with juvenile criminal behavior as big towns.

When Sandra Figueroa started working for the Graham County Juvenile Probation Department in 1983, the agency supervised 10 juveniles. Today, that number is 240.

The juvenile probation department was a two-person team when it began, but it has grown to a 28-person staff.

Sandra Figueroa

Figueora, who graduated from Safford High School and Eastern Arizona College, fell into a career in juvenile probation after a random meeting with Joyce Taylor, who was Superior Court Judge Ruskin Lines’ secretary.

Taylor asked Figueroa if she would be interested in a career in probation, and Figueroa decided to give it a try.

She had worked as a secretary for Phelps Dodge for six years prior to beginning her career in probation. The transition wasn’t hard for her.

“I just loved it when I started getting in and talking with the parents and the kids,” she said. “I have a special interest working with kids.”

Figueroa, now the deputy chief juvenile probation officer, supervises five officers. She and the rest of the department do their best to make sure the juveniles don’t enter the adult court system.

Figueroa said it’s disheartening when that happens because those who work in probation sometimes feel they have failed in their effort to help reform the child. The officers carry a heavy workload — each one is required to handle a minimum of 35 cases at all times.

Perhaps the biggest problem for juvenile offenders is drugs. Figueroa said one-third of all crimes committed by juveniles involve drugs or alcohol. Marijuana use is especially high among Graham County juveniles.

“Huffing” (inhaling volatile substances) and prescription drug use, however, are persistent problems. Huffing can be done with a number of household items, and, according to Figueroa, children often abuse their parents’ prescription medication.

Communication between parents and children is essential in order for kids to stay out of trouble, she said.

“Parents need to take the time to know their children and their friends,” Figueroa said.

She believes one good way to keep communication open for any family is for parents to have dinner with their children every night.

In her opinion, some parents loosen the reins on children at a very young age — usually around junior high. She said children need rules, regulations and structure throughout their years living at home.

Drug education is something Figueroa wants to see improve in the Gila Valley. Sheriff Frank Hughes is trying to bring the DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program back, and she agrees it would be a great idea.

“This county really needs a lot of drug education,” she said.

Sometimes a parent’s initial reaction to a juvenile probation officer is anger when the parent finds out the child is in trouble. Figueroa said many parents are upset at first because they don’t understand the process and they’re scared of what might happen to the child.

That anger toward the officer usually disappears once the officer explains how the juvenile court system works.

The parents don’t always realize the probation department also wants what is in the best interests of the child.

“We don’t want to see kids in adult court,” Figueroa said. “We want to stop the behavior.” She believes kids need a strong education and should also get involved in extracurricular activities to stay on the correct path.

She enjoys the opportunity to help children turn their lives around and become successful. “It’s fun to come to work,” she said.

“I have a great staff. We’re all working toward the same goals.”

Another one of Figueroa’s plans is to hold a talent show with an anti-drug message for all the high school students in the area. Prizes would be awarded to the winners.