Classification Specialist

General Description Of Duties

This position is eligible for Night Shift Differential Pay.

NOTE TO INTERNAL APPLICANTS: INTERNAL CANDIDATES IN THE SAME CLASSIFICATION AND/OR PAYGRADE AS THE POSITION POSTED WILL NOT RECEIVE A PAY ADJUSTMENT IF SELECTED.

Under direction, the purpose of the position is to conduct critical classifications of each inmate housed in the facility more than 48 hours to determine appropriate housing placement. This position also assists inmates in adjusting to institutional life, and to select appropriate self‑help, therapeutic, educational and/or vocational programs. Employees in this classification perform at journey professional level to process inmate movement throughout the facility and to provide assistance and counseling to inmates.

Work includes the evaluation and classification of special management, violent or at‑risk inmates.

• Classifies inmates according to all applicable rules, guidelines, and regulatory requirements of jail classification in the Osceola County Corrections Facility.
• Monitors inmate custody, housing, and program placements to ensure all inmates are appropriately classified; reclassifies inmates appropriately.
• Coordinates with the Security Staff daily to advise the Classification Supervisor of problems or potentially problematic situations with inmate housing and placement.
• Receives, researches, and replies to inmate requests and grievances directed to Classification regarding housing and placement rules and regulations.
• Screens, determines eligibility, and assigns inmates as trustee workers according to departmental policy and procedures.
• Receives telephone inquiries and concerns, ascertaining the nature of the call, and resolving personally, directing it to the appropriate individual or department, or acting as liaison to the appropriate Corrections staff.
• Provides assistance and counseling to inmates; counsels inmates to assist them in adjusting to jail life and to address personal and family problems.
• Performs a variety of specialized administrative support functions, e.g., analyzing data, typing, reports processing, documentation verification.
• Conducts counseling interviews with assigned cases in accordance with approved counseling techniques; receives and addresses inmate interests, activities, and concerns; provides constructive methods for addressing individual problems.
• Determines inmate eligibility for programs and if such programs would be beneficial to the inmate’s overall adjustment; coordinates and facilitates education and work schedules for individual inmate programs to prevent conflicts between programs; assists inmates in developing a community re‑entry plan and in accessing community resources.
• Assists inmates to obtain legal documentation from the approved research liaison.
• Calculates all jail sentences greater than five days, to include the application of gain time in order to determine projected release dates.
• Serves as a liaison to other facility departments for the dissemination of information and feedback on inmate’s placement.
• Attends and actively participates in meetings related to classification issues to keep up with trends and legislative changes and safety.
• Performs a variety of critical record keeping duties; maintains department record keeping and filing systems relevant materials appropriate to assigned unit.
• Generates and maintains a variety of critical legal records and reports (i.e., statistical data, inmate demographics, placement records and applicable logs – housing, custody, etc.).
• Maintains a variety of detailed legal records and reports; collects and prepares various information; prepares legal documentation as required, i.e., number of inmates served, case narratives, placement records.
• Performs a variety of records maintenance tasks of incoming and outgoing inmates; file checks; daily calendars for next day releases; inmate movement/transfer lists; commitments for inmates being transferred to DOC.
• Provides training and completes Daily Observation Reports for new employees as needed or assigned.
• Performs duties as assigned/necessary, which are related, or logical in assignment to the position.