Adult Probation Officer

POSITION: Adult Probation Officer

DEPARTMENT: Superior Court

WORK SCHEDULE: 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., M-F

• To perform this position successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function of the position satisfactorily. The job requirements listed in this document are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Warrick County provides reasonable accommodations to qualified employee and applicants with known disabilities who require accommodation to complete the application process or perform essential functions of the job, unless those accommodations would present an undue hardship.
• Incumbent serves as an Adult Probation Officer for the Warrick County Superior Court, responsible for supervising and assisting probationers, carrying out orders of Judge, and providing extensive case management.

DUTIES:

• Conducts pre-hearing and pre-sentence investigations and prepares reports as required by law. Cooperates with State/Federal Probation and other units making investigations. Prepares summary and recommendation of pre-sentence investigation reports with specific aftercare, utilizing community resources needed to meet special supervision responsibilities, such as drug/alcohol programs, mental health programs, employment, and/or home confinement.
• Assists the courts in making pre-trial release decisions and the transfer of supervision of probationers to another jurisdiction. Assists courts, prosecuting attorneys, and law enforcement officials in making decisions regarding the diversion of charged individuals to appropriate non- criminal alternatives.
• Furnishes each person placed on probation under his/her supervision a written statement of the conditions of his probation and instructions regarding those conditions.
• Supervises, assists, and monitors assigned probationers, including preparing risk assessments, reviewing, and ensuring compliance with statements of probation conditions, assisting in obtaining related community services as needed, such as alcohol/drug abuse treatment, conducting home visits, drug testing, and ensuring Court ordered fees are paid. Conducts counseling interviews and recommends positive solutions to problems/issues.
• Alerts court of any modification in conditions of probation considered advisable, and of probation violations.
• Maintains accurate records of investigated cases and of all cases assigned by the court, making these records available to the court upon request.
• Cooperates with public and private agencies and other persons concerned with the treatment/welfare of persons on probation, and assists probationers in obtaining services from those agencies/persons.
• Answers telephone and greets office visitors, providing information and assistance, taking messages, and/or referring callers to appropriate persons or department, provides testimony in legal proceedings as necessary.
• Contacts victims for sentencing recommendations and reports. Performs related and/or other duties as assigned/required by law.

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s degree is required from an accredited college or university. Prior experience in a related field is preferred.
• Must be at least 21 years of age, a United States citizen and possess a valid driver’s license.
• Possession of or ability to acquire within six (6) months of hire date Indiana Probation Officer certification. Possession of and ability to maintain annual Indiana Risk Assessment (IRAS) certification and continuing education as required by law.
• Thorough knowledge of and ability to make practical application of local, state, and federal laws and regulations, standard policies and procedures, sentencing alternatives, human services, community resources, adult/juvenile criminal code, and legal terminology of criminal justice system.
• Thorough knowledge of and ability to make practical application of current developments, theories, and trends in behavior and supervision of probationers.
• Working knowledge of standard English grammar, spelling, and punctuation, and ability to prepare various reports.
• Working knowledge of basic filing systems and ability to create and maintain accurate and complete department files and records.
• Ability to competently serve the public with diplomacy and respect, including occasional encounters with irate/hostile individuals.
• Ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing with co-workers, other County departments, attorneys, other Probation Departments, law enforcement agencies, service agencies, probationers and their families, victims, and the public, including being sensitive to professional ethics, gender, cultural diversities, and disabilities.
• Ability to apply knowledge of people/locations, read/interpret specifications, and plan/layout assigned work projects.
• Ability to properly operate standard office equipment, such as computer, calculator, typewriter, fax machine, copier/printer, telephone, and drive a vehicle.
• Ability to provide public access to, or maintain confidentiality of, department information and records according to State requirements.
• Ability to comply with all employer and department policies and work rules, including, but not limited to, attendance, safety, drug-free workplace, and personal conduct.
• Ability to understand, memorize, retain, carry out written and oral instructions, and present findings in oral and written form.
• Ability to work alone with minimum supervision and with others in a team environment, work on several tasks at the same time, and work rapidly for long periods, occasionally under time pressure.
• Ability to count, perform arithmetic operations, calculate, compare or observe similarities and differences between data, people, or things, compare/compile/classify/analyze data, and coordinate/make determinations.
• Ability to plan and present public speaking presentations and testify in court/legal proceedings. Ability to stay current and apply new developments/techniques in the correctional field.
• Ability to occasionally work extended, evening, and/or weekend hours, travel out of town for training and meetings, sometimes overnight, and respond swiftly, rationally and decisively to emergencies on 24-hour basis and/or from off-duty status.
• Possession of a valid driver’s license and a demonstrated safe driving record.

DIFFICULTY OF WORK:

• Incumbent performs a wide variety of duties which are broad in scope and impact and require consideration of many complex variables and their interrelationships. Guidelines are detailed and well-established, requiring independent judgment in interpreting and adapting to individual cases and situations, and ensuring enforcement of probation conditions.

RESPONSIBILITY:

• Incumbent interprets and makes application of department policies and procedures and standard practices of the profession to a variety of unrelated cases and circumstances. Work is reviewed primarily for compliance with legal requirements, department policy, and precedent; technical accuracy; soundness of judgment; and adherence to instructions/guidelines. Incumbent receives general administrative direction from supervisor and regularly makes decisions in absence of policy.

PERSONAL WORK RELATIONSHIPS:

• Incumbent maintains frequent contact with co-workers, other County departments, attorneys, other Probation Departments, law enforcement agencies, service agencies, probationers and their families, victims, and the public for the purposes of giving and receiving factual information, rendering service, instructing, negotiating, and mentoring.
• Incumbent reports directly to the Chief Probation Officer.

PHYSICAL EFFORT AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Incumbent performs a majority of duties in a standard office environment, courtroom, and in the community, including sitting/walking at will, sitting for long periods, lifting/carrying/pushing/ pulling objects weighing less than 25 pounds, handling/grasping/fingering objects, close/far vision, color/depth perception, bending/reaching, crouching/kneeling, speaking clearly, hearing sounds/communication, and driving. Incumbent is exposed to potentially irate/hostile individuals and responds to situations involving potential physical harm to self and others. Safety precautions must be followed at all times, including wearing protective clothing/equipment.
• Incumbent occasionally works extended, evenings, and/or weekend hours, travels out of town for training and meetings, sometimes overnight, and responds swiftly, rationally and decisively to emergencies on 24-hour basis and/or from off-duty status.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $42,311.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person