My wife's friend is considering becoming a Juvenile Probation Officer for a county here in Illinois. Although I've attempted to use my search engine and other quick resources to gather this information, I cannot come up with an answer to the question. Does anyone know if after becoming a JPO one is authorized to carry a concealed handgun on or off duty? Any information would be highly appreciated.
Thank you.

IIRC, the question centers on whether the friend would have "powers of arrest" as a Juvenile Probation Officer.

To start with, check out the Illinois Code, 720 ILCS 5/24-1 et al., and specifically the exceptions to a Unlawful Use of Weapons listed in 720 ILCS 5/24-2.

For example:

Sec. 24‑2. Exemptions.    (a) Subsections 24‑1(a)(3), 24‑1(a)(4) and 24‑1(a)(10) and Section 24‑1.6 do not apply to or affect any of the following:        (1) Peace officers, and any person summoned by a  peace officer to assist in making arrests or preserving the peace, while actually engaged in assisting such officer.         (2) Wardens, superintendents and keepers of prisons, penitentiaries, jails and other institutions for the detention of persons accused or convicted of an offense, while in the performance of their official duty, or while commuting between their homes and places of employment. * ** (c) Subsection 24‑1(a)(7) does not apply to or affect any of the following:        (1) Peace officers while in performance of their       official duties.        (2) Wardens, superintendents and keepers of prisons,       penitentiaries, jails and other institutions for the detention of persons accused or convicted of an offense. * * * *

(You have to check out 24-1 to know what is being excepted in 24-2 -- for example, 24-1(a)(7) deals with machine guns.)

On the arrest powers, there is at least one case (not a firearms issue) that finds that juvenile probation officers do not have arrest powers:

In re K. M. 70 Ill.App.3d 915, 27 Ill.Dec. 376 Ill.App. 4 Dist., 1979. A probation officer with juvenile responsibility is **192 ***380 not a peace officer; thus, no conduct that can be equated with delinquency is even charged in the petition. A peace officer, within the terms of the criminal escape provisions of the statute, is defined as one "who by virtue of his office or public employment is vested by law with a duty to maintain public order or to make arrests for offenses, whether that duty extends to all offenses or is limited to specific offenses." (Ill.Rev.Stat.1977, ch. 38, par. 2-13.) The duties of probation officers found in section 12 of the probation act (Ill.Rev.Stat.1977, ch. 38, par. 204-4), and more particularly juvenile probation officers found in section 6-1 of the Juvenile Court Act (Ill.Rev.Stat.1977, ch. 37, par. 706-1), clearly do not include the power of arrest or a mandate to maintain the public order. Given the plain terms of the statute, it is impossible for the minor here to have been guilty of criminal escape based upon an escape from a juvenile probation officer.

Suffice it to say, I would urge caution and suggest that your friend approach someone in the probabtion department to address the question or consult an attorney.

Found these...hope it helps...  
JPO carry

www.appa-net.org/information%20clearing%20house/survey/IL.htm

Juvenile and Adult Probation

Juvenile and adult probation services are delivered by county departments and are under the Judicial Branch of government. Some departments serve single counties, while others may be multi-county agencies. County probation departments supervise both adult and juvenile felon and misdemeanant probationers.

In the mid to late 70’s Illinois’ arming policy was adopted due to union pressure, a change in hours, and offenders being placed on probation that should have been in prison.

The state of Illinois sets the state’s firearm standards and the Administrative Office of the Courts and the local chief judge in each county or jurisdiction determine which officers are armed. The information obtained suggests that officers are armed by function. Intensive supervision (ISP), gang intervention, and juvenile intensive warrant officers are armed. Below is a list of counties that were armed at the time the survey data was collected:

Kane – Adult ISP.
Cook – Adult ISP, gang intervention.
Will – Adult and Juvenile ISP (officers carry a mixed caseload).
Kankakee – Adult ISP.
Peoria – Adult ISP.
Tazewell – Adult and Juvenile ISP (officers carry a mixed caseload).
Champaign – ISP adult and domestic violence officers.
Vermillion – Adult and Juvenile ISP.
Madison – Adult ISP, and two juvenile intensive warrant officers.
Coles-Cumberland (combined counties) – 1 officer, a field support officer who is armed rides along in high-risk situations.
All probation officers are classified as peace officers and can arrest or take into custody probationers who are violating in their view. There are statewide standards requiring psychological testing for the ISP officers who carry a firearm.

Officers receive basic firearm training provided by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Academy. Officers who carry are required to proficiently complete the training prior to being allowed to carry a firearm. Yearly re-qualification is required.

The type of firearm allowed is at the discretion of each county. Types of firearms commonly used include .38 caliber special 6 shot revolvers, .40 caliber 15 shot semi-automatics, and .357 revolvers.

There are no private companies providing adult or juvenile probation supervision services.

Juvenile and Adult Parole

Juvenile and adult parole is under the Executive Branch, Department of Corrections, Bureau of Operations, Parole Unit. The firearm policy for adult and juvenile parole officers is a new policy and within one year of its implementation all officers will be required to carry a handgun.

The officers are classified as peace officers with limited power to arrest. Arrest powers are limited to parolees, interstate compact cases, and probationers under the Department of Corrections custody.

Firearm training is provided by the Department of Corrections, officers must be able to proficiently complete the training before being allowed to carry a firearm. Quarterly training and annual re-qualification are mandatory.

The officers have the option of carrying a .40 caliber Glock or a .38 caliber Smith & Wesson revolver issued by the department.

There are no private companies providing adult or juvenile probation or parole supervision services.

For updates or corrections to the information on this page, please contact: Diane Kincaid

American Probation and Parole Association
2760 Research Park Drive
Lexington, KY  40511-8410
Phone: (859) 244-8203
Fax: (859) 244-8001
Email: [email protected]

I want to thank everyone for the in depth, very informative response to my question. It is highly appreciated! The wealth of information you guys provided me is more than I initially anticipated and I will research further into the topic on his behalf. He is in the first stages of his new career aspirations and the information you offered will provide him with the fundamentals he might use in order to pursue his potential career move as he progresses along.

Again, I want to thank everyone for taking the time out to give me this valuable lead information.  

Quoted: My wife's friend is considering becoming a Juvenile Probation Officer for a county here in Illinois. Although I've attempted to use my search engine and other quick resources to gather this information, I cannot come up with an answer to the question. Does anyone know if after becoming a JPO one is authorized to carry a concealed handgun on or off duty? Any information would be highly appreciated. Thank you.

No.

It is, however, a good "foot in the door" job.

edit: should've read first. Everyone else already answered it much more thoroughly than I did.