Senior Probation Officer

San Diego, California, United States AA and VH Career Fair Clients

To perform a wide variety of probation casework; provide preventative and rehabilitative services to adult probationers and juvenile offenders in field and institutional settings; and to perform related work as required.

Senior Probation Officer is a professional, advanced level sworn peace officer class in the series. Under general supervision, Senior Probation Officers utilize evidence based intervention strategies and programs, conduct investigations, write reports for the court, and supervise probationers focusing on an offender's risks and needs in an effort to change behavior to reduce recidivism. Positions in this class are only found in the Probation Department.

Senior Probation Officers handle the more complex and difficult cases, provide technical guidance and training to lower classes, and may act as a shift leader. Senior Probation Officer differs from the next higher class, Supervising Probation Officer, in that the latter is the first line supervisor responsible for the coordination, direction, scheduling and supervision of either field services, a special program or an institution.

• Deputy Probation Officer (Class No. 005065)
• Senior Probation Officer (Class No. 005090)
• Supervising Probation Officer (Class No. 005115)

The examples of functions listed in this class specification are representative but not necessarily exhaustive or descriptive of any one position in this class. Management is not precluded from assigning other related functions not listed herein if such duties are a logical assignment for the position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of a job, on a case‑by‑case basis.

• Performs case management role, including assessment, planning, linking, monitoring and advocacy for juveniles and adults on an assigned caseload of difficult probation cases.
• Implements supervision plans and enforces court orders related to juvenile and adult probationers.
• Develops case plans and makes recommendations to the court for the rehabilitation, supervision, and placement of juvenile and adult probationers.
• Acts as shift leader to coordinate daily activities in an institution.
• May act in the absence of the supervisor, assigning work tasks and assuring compliance with departmental policy.
• Assists in the training of staff.
• Orients new inmates.
• Helps resolve routine staff and inmate problems.
• Conducts investigations.
• Prepares reports.
• Uses risk and needs assessment instruments.
• Conducts arrests and fourth waiver searches.
• Makes field contacts in the home and community.
• Collaborates with other law enforcement agencies to perform field work.
• May be called upon to handle medical, security or disciplinary emergencies.
• May be required to perform the functions of the lower level class in this series.

Knowledge of:

• Interview and investigative techniques
• Evidence Based behavioral science principles and their application to casework
• Report writing principles including rules of correct grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure
• Federal, State, and local criminal justice laws, regulations, codes and ordinances pertinent to adult and juvenile detention and probation work
• Law enforcement and related legal terminology
• Case management methods and techniques
• Community-based policing
• Familiarization between law enforcement and community residents
• Federal, State, and local criminal justice system operations and services
• Human behavior, theories of crime and criminology
• Principles and methods of personnel guidance and training
• County customer service objectives and strategies
• Telephone, office, and online etiquette
• Current technology and trends in the profession

Skills and Abilities to:

• Provide technical guidance and training to subordinate staff
• Coordinate and direct the activities, care, and treatment of adult and juvenile probationers and wards in an institutional setting
• Act as lead worker in absence of supervisor
• Read,…