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 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.

• Manages a caseload of adult probationers 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; refers offenders to appropriate treatment and/or programs to target the offender’s primary criminogenic needs; monitors activities of offenders to ensure adherence to action steps negotiated through transition planning and to conditions ordered by the releasing authority;
  
  assists offenders in obtaining and maintaining employment; engages ongoing 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 identifies 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, home visits, pre‑sentence, interstate, pre‑pardon, and pre‑parole.
• Prepares all reports concerning activities of offenders, special reports, violations and court reports, and provides recommendations for the use of the releasing authority.
• Maintains documentation, in physical or electronic format, relating to management of offender caseload.
• Monitors payment of financial obligations ordered by the releasing authority.
• Assists in security operations in the event of a prison riot or disturbance; arrests and transports offenders; assists with out‑of‑state transfers and other agencies when required.
• Conducts periodic screenings for drug and alcohol use by offenders.
• Assists probationers with compliance with the Mary Rippy Violent Crime Registration Act and Sex Offender Registration, if applicable.

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

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.

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; and are responsible for the supervision of offenders who present complex and difficult behavioral management issues.

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 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 communities, 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…