Russell retires after 32 years as Wayne County juvenile probation officer
WOOSTER — Working in criminal justice is both challenging and rewarding, but after spending three decades as a Wayne County juvenile court probation officer and navigating a complex legal system, Mark Russell decided it is time to retire.
When Russell attended college in the mid-'80s, he aspired to work for the Secret Service, Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) or the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) one day.
However, one college class changed his mind.
“I guess that you could call it luck,” Russell said. “I took a class in juvenile justice when I was in college, it piqued my interest, and I pursued it. After graduation, I worked at the Linda Martin Attention Center for about nine months. After that, I worked for what is now called Anazao before working for Wayne County. I am glad it worked out this way; I have really enjoyed this job.”
One of the challenges faced by juvenile probation officers is dealing with troubled youth exposed to various adverse life experiences. They come from broken homes, have a history of substance abuse, or may have been involved in criminal activities.
Mental health issues are 'becoming generational'
“Mental health issues have gotten a lot worse,” he said. “It is becoming multi-generational. The parents may have mental health issues paired with substance abuse, so their parenting skills are poor, and those traits are passed down to the next generation. That has been the biggest surprise to me.”
As situations become more and more volatile through the years, Russell has always been quick to react.
“There are a lot more programs available now,” Russell said. “Agencies have expanded their services, and the courts have always been good about developing programs to meet the ever-changing needs. Mentorship is a popular method of intervention right now.”
The position has been challenging at times, but Russell has seen his fair share of successes.
“Success is different for everyone,” he said. “Not everyone will make it to college; some have to work extra hard just to graduate high school. But that is why I did this for so long; I enjoy seeing the kids succeed − regardless of how it was measured for them.”
Dan Starcher is the public communications coordinator for the Wayne County government.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Russell eyed FBI, CIA, but juvenile probation reeled him in
