Pretrial Officer I- Pretrial Investigations

Job Summary Are you looking for career opportunities that provide top-notch benefits including paid vacation and sick leave, parental leave, outstanding health, vision, and dental insurance, a free health clinic for you and your dependents, a generous retirement plan, and much more? Then bring your talents to Travis County! The Pretrial Officer interviews, investigates and evaluates clients incarcerated on criminal charges to determine their eligibility for personal bond and determines indigent status for court appointed attorney. Refers personal bond applicants to various agencies for treatment or assistance with alcohol, drug or personal problems. Makes recommendations to judges as to whether a client should be granted release from jail on personal recognizance bond and on motions to revoke personal bonds. Completes indigence forms to determine defendants' eligibility for court appointed legal representation. DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS: This is the first in a series of four pretrial-related job classifications within the Court Services job family. This classification is distinguished from the Pretrial Officer II in that incumbents typically work under limited supervision and personal bond cases evaluated are of a routine nature and type and may initially perform duties in training together with a higher-level staff member. This classification may require work in secure facilities. This classification may require a flexible work schedule in order to meet the needs of the department. Duties and Responsibilities

• Informs and briefs police, jail personnel, family and friends of the incarcerated client, lawyers and others regarding bond recommendations. Serves as the personal bond representative at the County court jail call. Serves as the Pretrial Services representative at jail calls for selected Justices of the Peace and County Courts at Law. Compiles lists of defendants needing interviews and completes appropriate documentation.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with departmental clientele, representatives of outside agencies, other County employees and officials, attorneys, judges and the general public. Work Environment & Other Information Physical requirements include the ability to lift/carry up to 10-25 pounds, visual acuity, speech and hearing, hand and eye coordination and manual dexterity necessary to operate a computer and office equipment. Subject to standing, sitting, walking, climbing stairs, bending, stooping, crouching, kneeling, pushing, pulling, reaching, twisting, balancing, repetitive motion, and squatting to perform the essential functions. Subject to contact with communicable diseases, radiation, hazardous waste, human fecal matter and foul odors. Subject to client and customer contact for extended periods of time. Travis County employees play an important role in business continuity. As such, employees can be assigned to business continuity efforts outside of normal job functions. This job description is intended to be generic in nature. It is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. The essential duties, functions and responsibilities and overtime eligibility may vary based on the specific tasks assigned to the position. Work Hours: Shift schedule includes working every weekend and some nights and some holidays. Work schedule may be changed at any time based on business necessity.
• Perform in a stressful environment while maintaining a professional manner.
• Policies, practices, procedures and legal terminology related to court system.
• A Shift:6:00 AM to 2:30 PM*B Shift:2:00 PM to 10:30 PM*C Shift:10:00 PM to 6:30 AM Location: 509 W 11th St (Downtown), Austin, TX Department: Pretrial Services Criminal Background Check, Education, and Employment History Check Required.
• Work effectively and courteously under stressful circumstances.
• Work efficiently both independently and as part of a team.
• Research, compile, analyze, interpret and prepare a variety of memorandums or reports.
• Manage time well, perform multiple tasks and organize diverse activities.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned. Minimum Requirements Education and Experience: Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice or a directly related field; OR, Any combination of education and experience that has been achieved and is equivalent to the stated education and experience and required knowledge, skills, and abilities sufficient to successfully perform the duties and responsibilities of this job. Licenses, Registrations, Certifications, or Special Requirements: Valid Texas Driver's License. Preferred: Texas Crime Information Center Certification. National Crime Information Center Certification. One (1) year of work experience in a directly related field. Degree in Criminal Justice, Political Science, Sociology, or Government Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Knowledge of:
• Investigates and interviews incarcerated clients to determine if they are eligible for release from jail on personal recognizance bond. Recommends to the judge whether a client should be granted release on personal recognizance bond, and what terms or specific conditions should be required when granted. Refers clients released or due to be released on bond to agencies for assistance and/or treatment.
• Reason and make judgments and decisions.
• Interviewing clients.
• Business letter writing, grammar and punctuation, and report preparation. Skill in:
• Deal effectively with mentally disturbed, hostile and aggressive individuals.
• Standard practices in area of assignment.
• Both verbal and written communication. Ability to:
• Completes follow-up investigations on denied bonds from previous shifts and/or personal bonds completed by attorneys. Completes follow-up on denied bonds which have secured jail release. Recommends to judges that bonds be revoked on subsequent arrest or problem clients, or when there is imminent danger to the community. Provides testimony in court, as required, on assigned cases.
• Federal, State, Local and County applicable laws, rules, regulations, guidelines and applicable pretrial services standards and procedures.
• Ensures indigence forms are completed to determine defendants' eligibility for court appointed attorney. Serves as an intermediary between judges and attorneys on questions concerning bond recommendations and court appointed attorney status.
• Computer equipment to include word processing, spreadsheets, databases and a variety of software packages.
• Problem-solving and decision-making.