Probation And Parole Officer

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Basic Purpose

Positions in this job family are responsible for performing routine professional social service and law enforcement duties in the areas of assessment of criminogenic need, transition plan design, treatment referral and ongoing monitoring of offender behavior. Supervision services are provided in the community for probationers, parolees and inmates in re-entry programs for the purpose of increasing public safety through the reduction of future criminal behavior.

Typical Functions

Manages a caseload of adult felons by employing motivational interviewing skills to complete a scientific assessment of criminogenic risk/need and to determine the offender’s stage of change for each identified need area; criminogenic needs of each offender; referring offenders to appropriate treatment and/or programs to target the offender’s primary criminogenic needs; monitoring activities of offenders to ensure adherence to action steps negotiated through transition planning and to conditions ordered by releasing authority; assisting offenders in obtaining and maintaining employment; engaging on-going support for the offender in the community by assisting the offender in identifying a network of family and friends with a pro-social orientation; and identifying pro-social interests and activities that are geared toward improving bonds and ties to pro-social community members.

Conducts various investigations including, but not limited to, pre-sentence, interstate, pre-pardon and pre-parole.

Prepare reports concerning activities of offenders and provide recommendations for the use of the releasing authority.

Maintain documentation, physical and electronic, relating to management of offender caseload.

Monitor payment of financial obligations ordered by the releasing authority; collect and document offender payments.

Assists in security operations in the event of a prison riot or disturbance; and arrests and transports offenders when required.

Conduct periodic screening for drug and alcohol use by offenders.

Level Descriptors

Level I:

This is the basic level where the incumbents perform entry-level duties involved in the supervision of probationers, parolees and inmates in re-entry programs.

Level II:

This is the career level where incumbents perform a variety of professional probation and parole duties at the full performance level involving the supervision of probationers, parolees and of inmates in pre-entry programs. Some responsibility may also be assigned for providing training and guidance to others in completing various routine assignments.

Level III:

This is the specialist level where incumbents serve as a subject matter expert in a specific area of evidence based practice such as motivational interviewing, assessment or transition planning; provide direct cognitive programming to an offender population; responsible for the supervision of offenders who present complex and difficult behavioral management issues.

Education and Experience

Level I:

Education and Experience requirements at this level consist of the statutory requirements of Title 57 O.S. Section 515: A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university including at least twenty-four semester hours in any combination of psychology, sociology, social work, criminology, education, criminal justice administration, penology or police science.

Level II:

Education and Experience requirements at this level consist of the statutory requirements of Title 57 O.S. Section 515: A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university including at least twenty-four semester hours in any combination of psychology, sociology, social work, criminology, education, criminal justice administration, penology or police science plus two years of correctional experience in social casework which involved the classification, assessment or field supervision of probationers and parolees and/or inmates; or substitution of a master’s degree in the fields of study listed for one year only of the required work experience.

Level III:

Education and Experience requirements at this level consist of the statutory requirements of Title 57 O.S. Section 515: A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university including at least twenty-four semester hours in any combination of psychology, sociology, social work, criminology, education, criminal justice administration, penology or police science plus four years of correctional experience in social casework which involved the classification, assessment or field supervision of probationers and parolees and/or inmates; or substitution of a master’s degree in the fields of study listed for one year only of the required work experience.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Competencies

Level I:

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required at this level include knowledge of laws, rules, regulations, legislation, policies and procedures as they pertain to offenders and the Department of Corrections; of evidence based practices in the supervision of offenders; of community resources; of public and private re-entry and transitional services; of report writing; of basic investigation techniques; of basic law enforcement practices; of counseling techniques and motivational interviewing; and of substance testing and collection methods. Ability is required to establish and maintain effective working relationships with community, families, service agencies, and other support systems; to locate suitable employment for community based offenders; to motivate clients to change antisocial behaviors; to manage substantial caseloads; to give courtroom testimony; to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing; to understand and implement evidence-based practices relative to community supervision of offenders; and to use electronic technology in the supervision of offenders and in the management of offender related information.

Level II:

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required at this level include knowledge of laws, rules, regulations, legislation, policies and procedures as they pertain to offenders and the Department of Corrections; of evidence based practices in the supervision of offenders; of community resources; of public and private re-entry and transitional services; of report writing; of basic investigation techniques; of basic law enforcement practices; of counseling techniques and motivational interviewing; and of substance testing and collection methods. Ability is required to establish and maintain effective working relationships with community, families, service agencies, and other support systems; to locate suitable employment for community based offenders; to motivate clients to change antisocial behaviors; to manage substantial caseloads; to give courtroom testimony; to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing; to understand and implement evidence-based practices relative to community supervision of offenders; and to use electronic technology in the supervision of offenders and in the management of offender related information.

Level III:

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required at this level include knowledge of laws, rules, regulations, legislation, policies and procedures as they pertain to offenders and the Department of Corrections; of evidence based practices in the supervision of offenders; of community resources; of public and private re-entry and transitional services; of report writing; of basic investigation techniques; of basic law enforcement practices; of counseling techniques and motivational interviewing; of substance testing and collection methods; and of a specific area of evidence-based practice. Ability is required to establish and maintain effective working relationships with community, families, service agencies, and other support systems; to locate suitable employment for community based offenders; to motivate clients to change antisocial behaviors; to manage substantial caseloads; to give courtroom testimony; to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing; to understand and implement evidence-based practices relative to community supervision of offenders; to use electronic technology in the supervision of offenders and in the management of offender-related information; and to provide consultation, training, mentoring and oversight for other staff in the application of the area of expertise.

Special Requirement

Applicants must be willing and able to perform all job-related travel normally associated with this position and possess a valid driver’s license.

Applicants will be subject to drug testing.

NOTE: Probation and Parole Officers shall meet all of the training and qualifications for peace officers required by Section 3311 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes (57 O.S. 515) to include any psychological or physical testing required by Section 3311 for eligibility to complete a basic police course or be certified as a peace officer.

No person who has been convicted of a nonviolent felony or crime involving moral turpitude and who has not received a full pardon from the proper authority, or who has been convicted of any other felony offense, is eligible for employment in this job classification. (70 O.S. 3311.E and 21 O.S. 1283.B)

No person who has received a verdict of guilty or pled guilty or nolo contendere to any offense required to register pursuant to the Sex Offenders Registration Act is eligible for employment in this job classification. (57 O.S. 589.C)

No person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, who has not been pardoned for, or had the conviction expunged or set aside; or is subject to a court order that restrains the person from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner or the partner’s child or engaging in other conduct that would place an intimate partner or the partner’s child in reasonable fear of bodily injury and includes a finding that the person is a credible threat; or who has been dishonorably discharged from any branch of the armed services is eligible for employment in this job classification. (18 U.S.C. 922).