PROBATION
AND PAROLE OFFICER
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 on going 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:
The functions within
this job family will vary by level, but may include the following:
·
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:
The Probation and
Parole Officer job family consists of four levels which are distinguished based
on the type and complexity of work, supervision received and the responsibility
assigned for supervision of others.
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.
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 and 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 anti-social behaviors; to manage substantial
caseloads; to give court room 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.
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.
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.
Knowledge,
Skills and Abilities
required at this level include those identified at Level I.
Education
and Experience
requirements at this level consist of those identified in Level I 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.
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.
Knowledge,
Skills and Abilities
required at this level include those identified at Level II plus knowledge in a
specific area of evidence-based practice; the ability to provide consultation,
training, mentoring and oversight for other staff in the application of the
area of expertise.
Education
and Experience
requirements at this level consist of those identified in Level II plus two
additional years of qualifying experience.
Level
IV Code: I40D Salary
Band: M
This is the
leadership level where incumbents supervise other probation and parole officers
and may plan and coordinate work in a specific area or assist in the management
of a district or sub-division.
Knowledge,
Skills, and Abilities
required at this level include those identified at Level III plus knowledge of
the principles and practices of effective supervision. Ability is required to establish priorities;
to instruct and coach employees on specific tasks and job techniques; to train
new employees; and to respond to questions from other officials on policy and
procedure.
Education
and Experience
requirements at this level consist of those identified in Level III plus one
additional year of qualifying experience.
SPECIAL
REQUIREMENTS:
Applicants must be willing
and able to perform all job-related travel normally associated with this
position and possess a valid Oklahoma 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)