Probation Assistant

ALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE FILED WITH THE ONONDAGA COUNTY PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER

https://employment.ongov.net/default/show_accountment/3292

$15.00 Non-Refundable Application Fee

You are, therefore, urged to carefully compare your qualifications with the requirements for admission and file only for those examinations for which you are clearly qualified.

Payable by check or money order to: “Chief Fiscal Officer,” or by VISA, MC or Discover. Cash will be accepted only if paying in person.

Published 04/21/2025

Application Deadline 05/13/2025

Exam Date 06/28/2025

SALARY AND VACANCIES: Changing conditions may make it necessary to certify vacancies at higher or lower salaries than those announced.

THE TITLE CURRENTLY EXISTS IN THE FOLLOWING JURISDICTIONS:

Onondaga County-Probation Department: $48,354-53,246.

The resulting open competitive eligible list will be used to fill vacancies in any jurisdiction where the title exists.

DUTIES: This is a para-professional position in a probation department. Unlike a Probation Officer 1, a Probation Assistant is not a Peace Officer pursuant to the New York State Criminal Procedure Law. The incumbent is responsible for assisting probation officers in a local probation agency in tasks which may include performing pre-dispositional/pre-trial related duties such as interviewing and screening individuals arrested and/or otherwise not yet adjudicated/sentenced for suitability for pre-trial release, making recommendations for release, monitoring individuals released into the community whose cases are pending; and notifying courts of case status. An incumbent may also serve as a probation department’s point of contact for transfer of records and files with other probation departments, law enforcement agencies or courts. He/she also assists in the control and supervision of probationers by performing tasks such as opening and closing cases; retrieving archived files; delivering documents to law enforcement agencies and the courts; assisting with the collection of financial obligations; and processing intra and interstate transfers. The work is performed under the supervision of a Probation Supervisor 1 or higher level probation professional in accordance with applicable rules/regulations, statutes and/or policies and procedures as directed by a Probation Director or his/her designee. The incumbent will perform all related duties as required.

RESIDENCE REQUIREMENT:

OPEN COMPETITIVE examination candidates must have resided in the United States of America or one of its territories for not less than one (1) month immediately preceding the date of exam. Preference in appointment may be given to local residents. Appointments to positions in some municipalities are subject to residence requirements pursuant to local laws.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: On the date of examination, candidates must meet the following requirements:

OPEN COMPETITIVE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

(a) Graduation from a regionally accredited college or university or one accredited by the Board of Regents to grant degrees, with an Associate’s degree or higher in criminal justice, human services, chemical dependency counseling, business administration, or a closely related field or;

(b) Graduation from high school or possession of a high school equivalency diploma and two (2) years of experience working with the public in a public or private human services agency or a criminal justice or juvenile justice agency or;

(c) An equivalent combination of training and experience as defined by the limits of (a) and (b).

Special Requirement: Possession of a current driver’s license or otherwise demonstrated ability to meet the transportation requirements of the position.

Note: The class specifications including the minimum qualifications for positions in Probation Departments are established by rule and regulations of the Division of Criminal Justice Services. These class specifications are found in Title 9 NYCRR Part 347, Appendix H-10, Standard Specifications for Professional Probation Positions.

Note: This position is allocated to the competitive class pursuant to the Executive Law Section 257(1).

*Note: Per the amendment to Civil Service Law Section 54, which became effective September 4, 2024, applicants who are within 12 months of meeting the minimum age or attaining the minimum educational requirements following the date of examination, may take the civil service exam, but will be restricted from certification until such a time that the minimum age or educational requirements are met.

COLLEGE TRANSCRIPTS AS QUALIFYING PROOF: If you are trying to qualify for this examination on the basis of your college training, you will need to submit either a verifiable, student copy or official transcript of college level studies you have completed to verify course work required for this examination. In lieu of a transcript, you will need to list all courses successfully completed in the curricula listed above, the names of the courses, number of hours earned, grades awarded, approximate dates of completion, and name(s) of college(s) where you took the course.

VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE: Volunteer experience will be allowed to substitute for paid work experience as long as the volunteer experience is equivalent in nature to the paid work experience required for the position.

SUBJECT OF EXAMINATION: There will be a written test, which you must pass in order to be considered for appointment. The written test will be designed to test for knowledge, skills and/or abilities in the following areas:

Preparing written material These questions test for the ability to write the kinds of reports and correspondence required in criminal justice settings such as probation and parole. Some questions test for the ability to present information clearly and accurately. Others test for the ability to organize paragraphs logically and comprehensibly.

Evaluating conclusions in light of known facts These questions will consist of a set of facts and a conclusion. You must decide if the conclusion is proved by the facts, disproved by the facts or if the facts are not sufficient to prove or disprove the conclusion. The questions will not be specific to a particular field.

Applying written information These questions evaluate a candidate's ability to read, interpret and apply rules, regulations, directives, written narratives and other related material. You will be required to read a set of information and to appropriately apply the information to situations in various settings.

All information needed to answer the questions is contained in the rules, regulations, etc. which are cited.

Test guide: A Guide for the Written Test for Probation is available at the New York State website: https://www.cs.ny.gov/testing/testguides.cfm. Candidates not having access to a computer, or the internet, may request a copy of the test guide from the municipal Civil Service office conducting this examination using the contact information found elsewhere on this announcement.

CALCULATORS: Use of calculators is recommended for this exam. Candidates should bring quiet, hand-held, solar or battery powered calculators. Devices with typewriter keyboards, `Spell Checkers,' `Personal Digital Assistants,' `Address Books,' `Language Translators,' `Dictionaries,' or any similar devices are prohibited. You may not bring books or other reference materials. You may not bring cellular phones, beepers, pagers, or headphones.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: Applications and credit card payment forms may be obtained in person from the Onondaga County Department of Personnel, by mail (include a self-addressed, stamped envelope) or downloaded at www.ongov.net/employment/document_center

https://employment.ongov.net/default/show_accountment/3292

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $48,354.00 - $53,246.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Loan forgiveness
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance
• Wellness program

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Work Location: In person

Salary : $48,354 - $53,246