Probation and Parole Officer

State of Oklahoma•Oklahoma City, OK

1d•$48,045 - $54,701•Onsite

About The Position

The Department of Corrections is hiring a Probation and Parole Officer for Probation and Parole Region II. The role performs professional social service and law enforcement duties, including assessing offenders’ criminogenic needs, designing transition plans, making treatment referrals, and monitoring behavior. Community supervision is provided to probationers, parolees, and inmates in re-entry programs to increase public safety by reducing future criminal behavior. The role may be filled at Level I, II, or III. Level I involves entry-level supervision duties. Level II performs professional duties at the full performance level and may provide training and guidance on routine assignments. Level III serves as a subject matter expert in an evidence-based practice area, may provide cognitive programming, and supervises offenders with complex behavioral management needs.

Requirements

Level I: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, including at least 24 semester hours in any combination of psychology, sociology, social work, criminology, education, criminal justice administration, penology, or police science.
Level II: The Level I degree and coursework requirements, plus two years of correctional social-casework experience involving classification, assessment, or field supervision of probationers, parolees, and/or inmates; a master’s degree in a listed field may substitute for one year of the required work experience.
Level III: The Level I degree and coursework requirements, plus four years of correctional social-casework experience involving classification, assessment, or field supervision of probationers, parolees, and/or inmates; a master’s degree in a listed field may substitute for one year of the required work experience.
Be willing and able to perform job-related travel and possess a valid driver’s license.
Applicants are subject to drug testing.
Meet the training and qualifications for peace officers required by Oklahoma law, including any psychological or physical testing required for eligibility to complete a basic police course or be certified as a peace officer.
Applicants must satisfy the listed statutory disqualifications concerning felony convictions, offenses requiring sex-offender registration, misdemeanor domestic-violence convictions or certain protective orders, and dishonorable discharge from military service.
Knowledge of applicable laws, rules, regulations, legislation, policies, and procedures; evidence-based offender-supervision practices; community resources and re-entry services; report writing; basic investigation and law-enforcement practices; counseling and motivational interviewing; and substance testing and collection methods.
Ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with communities, families, service agencies, and other support systems; locate suitable employment for offenders; motivate clients to change antisocial behaviors; manage substantial caseloads; testify in court; communicate effectively orally and in writing; apply evidence-based community-supervision practices; and use electronic technology to supervise offenders and manage related information.
Level III additionally requires knowledge of a specific area of evidence-based practice and the ability to provide consultation, training, mentoring, and oversight to staff in that area.

Responsibilities

Manage a caseload of adult felons using motivational interviewing and scientific assessment of criminogenic risk and need, including determining each offender’s stage of change.
Refer offenders to treatment or programs targeting their primary criminogenic needs and monitor compliance with transition-planning action steps and release conditions.
Assist offenders in obtaining and maintaining employment and in developing pro-social community support networks, relationships, interests, and activities.
Conduct investigations, including pre-sentence, interstate, pre-pardon, and pre-parole investigations.
Prepare reports about offender activities and provide recommendations for the releasing authority.
Maintain physical and electronic documentation related to offender caseload management.
Monitor and document payment of financial obligations ordered by the releasing authority, including collecting offender payments.
Assist with security operations during prison riots or disturbances, and arrest and transport offenders when required.
Conduct periodic drug and alcohol screening of offenders.
At Level II, provide training and guidance to others on routine assignments as assigned.
At Level III, provide direct cognitive programming and consultation, training, mentoring, and oversight for staff in the officer’s area of expertise.