What are the responsibilities and job description for the Probation Officer II position at Chester County of Pennsylvania?
Summary
A Probation/ Parole Officer II has completed at least one year of service as a Probation/Parole Officer (or equivalent employment) and completed an extensive training regimen. A Probation/ Parole Officer II demonstrates understanding of being trauma informed and trauma responsive in supervision strategies. The purpose of this position is to encourage long term positive change, enforce compliance with court ordered conditions and help reduce the risk of recidivism. Work involves the counseling and supervision of individuals, and completion of Court reports which include fair and balanced recommendations regarding the individual’s needs and protection of the community. Work includes a wide variety of contacts with agencies, employers, associates, and families in securing information regarding clients, and assisting in developing effective rehabilitation plans. Although law and procedures regulate the work, the employee is required in emergencies to make decisions directly affecting public safety and personal liberties of individuals.
Essential Duties
- Strong knowledge of Department’s Mission Statement, Guiding Principles, and Vision Statement.
- Provide ongoing supervision by maintaining regular contact with justice involved individuals, monitoring compliance with rules and regulations of probation & parole, along with any special conditions imposed by the court. Officers work to ensure community safety, identify violations, and take appropriate action.
- Maintain professional and timely contact with family members, victims, members of law enforcement, the court, community, and treatment providers.
- Gather information through interviews with clients, victims, court, law enforcement, treatment providers and other parties as necessary.
- Ability to effectively support and use evidence-based practices such as risk/needs assessments, case plan, motivational interviewing and skill building with fidelity.
- Demonstrate the ability to testify in court without oversight.
- Utilize the risk/needs results to make appropriate referrals to treatment agencies to address the individual’s needs and continuously monitor the individual’s participation and progress in these programs to ensure compliance and appropriate outcomes.
- Enforce confidentiality of protected information.
- Ability to appropriately supervise individuals that have been stepped down from specialized caseloads such as Sex Offender, Domestic Violence, Substance Use, House Arrest, Mental Health, or those with past trauma.
- Ensure that all information pertaining to the case is well documented, thorough, and accurate.
- Ability to use trauma informed and trauma responsive in supervision strategies.
- Complete and submit Court reports with an emphasis on accuracy, timeliness, professionalism, appropriate use of grammar and proper formatting.
- Actively promotes teamwork among units and the whole department.
- Attend and participate in local and regional meetings, seminars, trainings, and conferences to maintain the highest level of education in the field of probation and parole services, including knowledge about current Probation/Parole research.
- Support and monitor the collection of fines, costs, and restitution.
- Perform urinalysis and breathalyzer testing, as needed.
- Provide professional court testimony and demonstrate the ability to make fair recommendations for sentencing with minimum supervisory oversight.
- Ability to successfully complete defensive tactics training
- Ability to obtain certification to complete C.R.N. evaluations.
- Perform duty team tasks, which include assisting with temporarily unsupervised caseloads, answering phone calls, and interviewing new clients who were sentenced or released from prison.
- Perform other duties, tasks, and special projects, as required.
Qualifications/Preferred Skills, Knowledge & Experience
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, one year of probation/parole experience or equivalent combination of employment and training
- Intermediate knowledge of criminal justice terminology and court procedures.
- Ability to plan, organize, coordinate, and prioritize.
- Strong ability to assess needs and priorities.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Strong interviewing and investigating skills.
- Demonstrates integrity and honesty.
- Strong professional ethics.
- Must maintain a professional image.
- A valid driver’s license is required.
- Demonstrate the ability to be trauma informed and trauma responsive in supervision strategies.
- Ability to effectively use evidence-based practices such as Risk/Needs Assessments, Case Planning, Motivational Interviewing, and skill building with fidelity.
- Successfully complete Defensive Tactics Training.
- Understand policies and procedures in the department.
- Strong knowledge of Department’s Mission Statement, Guiding Principles, and Vision.
- Demonstrate the ability to attend court proceedings independently.
- Successfully complete The County Adult Probation and Parole Basic Training Academy or equivalent.
Preferred Skills, Knowledge & Experience:
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Criminal Justice or related field, two years or more of probation/parole experience or equivalent combination of employment and training.
- Familiarity with the laws and procedures concerning probation/parole supervision (i.e., search and seizures, violations, confidentiality etc.).
- Knowledge of illegal and prescription drugs, and the effects, and length of time spent in someone's system.
- Working knowledge of psychology and substance abuse would be helpful.
- Knowledge of evidence-based practices and motivational interviewing.
Additional Information
Relevant background checks, clearances, physicals, drug tests, and any other assessments or evaluations will be conducted after an offer of employment is given per County policy.
Computer Skills:
To perform this job successfully, an individual should have:
- Basic Word, Search Engine, Access, and Excel skills
- Basic Outlook skills (Email and Calendar)
- Data entry skills for Case Management system
Physical Demands:
While performing the duties of this position, the employee is frequently required to sit, stand, walk, talk, and hear, and drive a vehicle. Occasionally, the employee will need to bend at the waist while working; kneel, stoop, crouch, or squat; climb stairs; and taste or smell. On rare occasions, the employee will need to carry, lift, or push items; twist or rotate at the waist; and reach above shoulder height.
The special vision requirements listed for this position are:
- Close and distance vision while driving a vehicle.
- Peripheral vision for safety reasons (ability to observe an area that can be seen up and down or to the left and right while eyes are fixed on a given point).
Work Environment:
- The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
- Will work inside approximately 75% of the time.
- Will work in the field approximately 25% of the time (visiting individual’s homes, place of employment, courtroom appearances, treatment facilities, etc.).
- Will be unable to carry weapons while in the field or in the office.
- Monitoring drug and alcohol use exposes incumbent to potential health risks.
Other:
- Strong interviewing and communication skills are necessary, as you will work with a wide variety of individuals, from cooperative to aggressive.
- Work nontraditional hours as required to meet the needs of individuals under the supervision of the Court.
- Satisfactory completion of self-defense/ defensive tactics training.
