Classification Counselor - WSP

Classification Counselor 2 (CC2)

Full-Time | Permanent

Location: Washington State Penitentiary (WSP), Walla Walla, Washington.

The Department of Corrections is seeking highly motivated and qualified individuals to fill a Full‑Time, Permanent Classification Counselor 2 position at Washington State Penitentiary (WSP). The WSP is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and houses approximately 2,000 incarcerated individuals with about 1,100 staff.

Under the supervision of the Classification Counselor 3, the Classification Counselor 2 (CC2) is responsible for providing professional classification guidance with the goal of placing incarcerated individuals in the least restrictive custody designation while meeting the need to provide for the safety of the public, staff, visitors, and incarcerated individuals. The CC2 will monitor a caseload, administer risk assessment tools, complete release plans, facility plans, impose DOC conditions, enforce court orders, provide monthly reports, and maintain regular communication with the incarcerated individual caseload.

• A detailed resume
• A cover letter expressing your interest in this position with our agency
• Three professional references

Note: This recruitment may be used to fill future permanent vacancies that may occur.

• Investigate all available information for each incarcerated individual arriving to determine documentation and programming needs.
• Administer risk assessment tools.
• Participate in risk management teams.
• Complete incarcerated individual release plans, verify transition plans, and approve low‑risk release plans.
• Counsel and inform incarcerated individuals regarding community resources and potential problems they might encounter in their transition to work release, parole, or release.
• Work with unit staff and other facility sections to resolve incarcerated individual problems.
• Enforce court‑ordered conditions and impose DOC conditions.
• Collect information to complete facility plans, criminal history and risk management tools to determine needs.
• Maintain communication with incarcerated individuals to assist with attorney calls, child custody/support hearings with DSHS and courts, and family contact through crisis/emergency situations.
• Complete paperwork for special visits, death‑bed visits, funeral outings, job referrals, end‑of‑sentence review packets, EFVs, marriages, psych evaluation requests, incarcerated‑to‑incarcerated correspondence, and out‑of‑state and international transfers.
• Evaluate incarcerated individuals for early release; testify before courts, boards, and/or classification or disciplinary hearings.
• Review and update incarcerated individual plans and programming needs regularly.
• Work with internal and external entities to facilitate re‑entry into the community.
• Prepare mutual agreement plans and coordinate with other facilities for acceptance.

• Five years of experience in adult corrections, juvenile corrections, rehabilitation, or social casework.
• OR Satisfactory completion of two years of college‑level credit classes (60 semester or 90 quarter credits) and three years of experience in adult corrections, juvenile corrections, rehabilitation, or social casework.
• OR One year as a Classification Counselor 1 in Washington State service, including at least satisfactory completion of two years of college‑level credit classes (60 semester or 90 quarter credits).

• A bachelor’s degree in sociology, psychology, social work, criminology, or a closely related field from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or a foreign equivalent, and one year of social service or corrections experience. A master’s degree in the same fields will substitute for the required year of experience.

Working together for safer communities.

Improving public safety by positively changing lives.

To operate a safe and humane corrections system and partner with others to transform lives for a better Washington.

DOC is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of…