Correctional Counselor 1* - 04272023-45543

Job Information

LOCATION OF (1) POSITION TO BE FILLED: DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION, BLEDSOE COUNTY CORRECTIONAL COMPLEX , BLEDSOE COUNTY

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree.

Substitution of Education for Experience: None.

Substitution of Experience for Education: Full time social or psychological counseling experience can be substituted for the required education on a year for year basis to a maximum of two years.

Other Requirements

Necessary Special Qualifications: A valid vehicle operator's license may be required for employment in some positions.

Examination Method: Experience and Education, 100%, for Preferred Service positions.

Job Overview

Summary: Under general supervision, employees in this class are responsible for correctional counseling duties of routine difficulty.
Distinguishing Features: This is the entry level class in the Correctional Counselor sub-series. Employees in this class are responsible for counseling juvenile and adult offenders. This class differs from the Correctional Counselor 2 in that incumbents of the latter are responsible for performing at the working level.

• An applicant appointed to this flexibly staffed class will be reclassified to the next higher class in the series after successful completion of a mandatory one-year training period. Inadequate or marginal performance during the training period will result in automatic demotion or termination.

Work Activities

Processing Information:

• Learns to calculate sentencing information to determine accuracy of an offender's sentence computation.
• Learns to prepare reports on offender history, progress, adjustment, rule violations, visitation, recommendations for special visits, and other related statistics.
• Learns to complete initial intake packages and/or risk-needs assessments for offenders.
• Under close supervision, verifies that offender sentencing complies with judgment order.

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards:

• Evaluates all offender records, case notes, and information to ensure compliance with all applicable standards, laws, policies, rules, and regulations while under the guidance of a higher ranking Correctional Counselor.

Getting Information:

• In a training capacity, conducts Prison Rape Elimination Act screenings to determine potential victim or aggressor status.
• Learns to interview offenders to evaluate progress in accomplishing recommendations and parole board mandates.
• Learns to gather information relevant to offender history from appropriate agencies and personnel.
• Learns to administer risk-needs assessments to offenders using motivational interviewing techniques.

Coaching and Developing Others:

• Under supervision, facilitates workshops for offender reentry and career development.

Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings:

• Learns to monitor environment to identify security related concerns in order to assure continued safety of facility.
• Learns to review offender files for various institutional needs.
• Learns to monitor offenders to ensure compliance with recommendations and parole board mandates.
• In a training capacity, supervises a case load of up to 150 offenders in an institutional setting.
• In a training capacity, participates in classification and reclassification hearings in order to review information relevant to offender behavior, program, participation, and other factors for the purpose of determining offender custody levels and programmatic needs and goals.

Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others:

• Learns to provide appropriate interventions in interactions between staff and offenders to resolve issues of conflict.

Communicating with Persons Outside Organization:

• Under supervision, assists offenders with communicating with persons or agencies outside of the institution to expedite release plans or respond to emergencies.

Selling or Influencing Others:

• Learns to use motivational interactions with offenders to realign offender behaviors, thinking, and reactions to conform to facility rules and societal norms.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems:

• Under guidance, assists offenders in addressing their concerns regarding job pay, trust fund, sentence information, and educational needs and programs.
• In a training capacity, identifies appropriate intervention techniques to deal with offender behavioral issues.

Scheduling Work and Activities:

• Learns to schedule outside services to assist with offender transition from prison to the community.

Developing Objectives and Strategies:

• Under guidance, provides counseling and instruction specific to the needs of a reentry caseload.
• Learns to provide information to offenders with regards to community resources, methods of finding and keeping employment, and improving family relationships.
• In a training capacity, develops reentry plans for offenders within established time frames and in accordance with departmental procedures.
• In a training capacity, observes appropriate counseling staff contacts with offender family members concerning release.
• Learns to counsel offenders concerning risk of reoffending.

Interacting With Computers:

• Uses web-based programs to communicate with persons inside and outside of the agency concerning offender needs.
• Learns to enter or retrieve information concerning offenders using computerized databases on a daily basis.

Assisting and Caring for Others:

• Under supervision, counsels offenders regarding personal and family issues.
• Under supervision, assists assigned offenders in adjusting to incarceration by conducting individualized or group sessions to discuss facility and program rules and regulations.
• Learns to address offender mental health and medical needs with appropriate staff.
• In a training capacity, collaborates with medical professionals to provide information to offenders regarding advanced directives.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge:

• Attends various mandated training to enhance job skills and performance.

Analyzing Data or Information:

• Learns to analyze disciplinary reports to determine offender behavior trends.

Documenting/Recording Information:

• Learns to maintain reports on offender history, progress, adjustment, rule violations, visitations, recommendations for special visits, and other related statistics.
• Learns to record risk-needs assessments for quality assurance.
• Learns to document referrals made to offenders regarding outside services.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events:

• Learns to identify offender movement to ensure caseload accuracy.

Communicating with Supervisor, Peers, or Subordinates:

• Under supervision, provides information in treatment team/staff meetings to other team members regarding offender progress in programming.
• Communicates with various institutional personnel to meet offender needs.
• Communicates with other counseling personnel to gain knowledge or understanding of counseling responsibilities.

Competencies (KSA'S)

Competencies:

• Integrity and Trust
• Understanding Others
• Listening
• Time Management
• Patience
• Priority Setting
• Organizing
• Ethics and Values
• Functional/Technical Competencies
• Written Communications

Knowledge:

• Basic computer knowledge as it relates to web-based databases, word processing, email systems, and data entry
• Basic law and government
• Basic public safety and security
• Basic mathematics
• Basic knowledge of psychology as it relates to human behavior, performance, individual differences in ability, personality, and interests, and learning and motivation
• Basic education and training
• Basic clerical knowledge
• Basic knowledge of sociology as it relates to group behavior and dynamics as well as societal trends and influences

Skills:

• Active learning
• Basic negotiation
• Critical thinking
• Social Perceptiveness
• Judgment and decision making
• Basic math
• Basic service orientation
• Active listening
• Complex problem solving
• Basic learning strategies
• Basic writing as it relates to reports
• Coordination as it relates to offender behavior
• Basic persuasion
• Basic instructing
• Time management
• Intermediate reading comprehension
• Intermediate speaking

Abilities:

• Problem sensitivity
• Oral comprehension
• Basic deductive reasoning
• Selective attention
• Spatial orientation as it relates to institutional safety
• Speech clarity
• Written comprehension
• Fluency of ideas
• Originality
• Time sharing
• Oral expression
• Speech recognition
• Inductive reasoning
• Auditory attention

Tools and Equipment Used

• Calculator
• Digital Recorder
• Files
• Keys
• Multi-line Telephone
• 2-Way Radio
• Copy Machine
• Fax Machine
• Calendar/Planner
• Word Processing Software
• Printer
• Lamination Machine
• Personal Computer
• Lamination Machine
• Shredder
• Electronic/Paper Documents