CORRECTIONAL PROBATION SPECIALIST - 70018406

State of Florida•TAVARES, FL

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The Correctional Probation Specialist supervises, surveils, and maintains a specialized caseload of extremely high-risk offenders, sex offenders, or both. Many offenders on the caseload have diagnosed severe mental health conditions. The position may also include training duties. The specialist promotes compliance with supervision orders and public safety through offender guidance, monitoring, investigation, community and office contacts, counseling, referrals, enforcement, and coordination with victims and criminal justice partners. The role includes enforcing statutory and court-ordered restrictions for sex offenders, maintaining detailed case records, preparing reports, appearing in proceedings, and supporting offender treatment and self-improvement plans. The position is based at the Ocala East Probation and Parole Office in Tavares, Florida, and is an internal promotional opportunity for current Florida Department of Corrections employees.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
Certification in accordance with Florida Statutes 943.13.
Valid driver’s license, required as a condition of employment under Florida Administrative Code 33-208.402 and Florida Statutes 322.03(3).
Ability to plan, organize, and coordinate work.
Ability to interview and counsel.
Ability to review and analyze data.
Ability to communicate effectively.
Ability to work independently and/or under stressful conditions.
Knowledge of probation and parole and/or corrections principles, Florida law, and rules of criminal procedure.
Knowledge of techniques for advising, interviewing, and counseling.
Skill in using an offender database system.
Ability to manage offenders, prepare reports, assist offenders in solving problems, conduct investigations, describe facts and events accurately, and understand and apply applicable laws, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.
Applicants must be current Florida Department of Corrections employees; this is an internal promotional opportunity only.

Responsibilities

Supervise, surveil, and maintain a specialized caseload of extremely high-risk offenders, sex offenders, or both, including offenders with severe mental health conditions.
Encourage offender compliance with supervision orders through guidance, goal-setting, monitoring, and community supervision.
Conduct field and office supervision visits through personal, collateral, community, surveillance, telephone, and electronic contacts.
Conduct pre-sentence, post-sentence, interstate compact, sentencing guidelines, and other required offender investigations; make recommendations to sentencing authorities regarding supervision, revocation, diversion, or incarceration.
Conduct background investigations on prospective employees.
Respond sensitively and promptly to public and victim needs, concerns, and complaints; identify and intervene in cases involving abuse or maltreatment; interview victims and make treatment referrals.
Conduct searches and make arrests of offenders, and respond to collateral inquiries concerning offenders and affected parties.
Provide investigative and intelligence assistance to law enforcement regarding offender profiles related to pedophilia and child pornography.
Enforce Florida statutes and supervision conditions concerning sex offenders and sexual predators, including registration, polygraph examinations, driving restrictions, post-office-box prohibitions, HIV testing referrals when applicable, curfews, and monitoring devices when necessary.
Monitor residence and employment plans for compliance with restrictions involving locations where children congregate, and enforce restrictions on victim contact, unsupervised contact with children, and access to pornographic or sexually stimulating material.
Enforce requirements for offender blood specimens to be submitted to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for DNA database inclusion.
Assess or assist in assessing offender needs, treatment options, and supervision objectives; refer offenders to qualified therapists and establish and monitor treatment and self-improvement programs.
Use the information management system to develop payment plans for monetary obligations and enforce compliance.
Maintain electronic and hard-copy case records documenting offender background, legal history, treatment, and progress; take digitized photographs for website placement.
Represent the Department of Corrections appropriately, attend hearings or testify, report non-compliance, and prepare and submit violation and other required reports within prescribed deadlines.
Maintain liaison with courts, prosecutors, public defenders, law enforcement, treatment providers, service agencies, government agencies, department offices, and other criminal justice representatives; develop local law enforcement partnerships.
Conduct informal and formal individual or group counseling and interview offenders for supervision or investigative purposes.
Monitor and test offenders for controlled substances and alcohol as directed or as needed to protect the community.
Develop and maintain contacts with resources for offender public service assignments.
Handle administrative duties and assist supervisors in their absence as assigned.
Serve on teams, committees, and task forces; attend and deliver job-related and career-development training; and potentially serve as a day-to-day training officer for a correctional probation officer.