Probation and Parole Officer

State of Oklahoma•McAlester, OK

5d•$48,045 - $54,701•Onsite

About The Position

The Probation and Parole Officer performs professional social-service and law-enforcement duties involving assessment of criminogenic needs, transition planning, treatment referrals, and ongoing monitoring of offender behavior. The role supervises adult probationers, parolees, and inmates in re-entry programs in the community to increase public safety by reducing future criminal behavior. The posting describes three levels: Level I is entry-level; Level II is full-performance and may include training and guidance for others; and Level III is a specialist role involving expertise in evidence-based practices, direct cognitive programming, and supervision of offenders with complex behavioral-management needs. The position is located with DOC Probation & Parole in Region I and is on-site, with no remote-work eligibility. The officer must be able to perform job-related travel and hold a valid driver’s license. Applicants are subject to drug testing and must meet applicable Oklahoma peace-officer training and qualification requirements, including any required psychological or physical testing. The posting also states statutory restrictions on eligibility based on certain criminal convictions, court orders, and military discharge status.

Requirements

For 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.
For Level II: The Level I education requirement, 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 the listed fields may substitute for one year of the required work experience.
For Level III: The Level I education requirement, 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 the listed fields may substitute for one year of the required work experience.
Willingness and ability to perform job-related travel and possession of a valid driver’s license.
Must meet Oklahoma peace-officer training and qualification requirements, including any psychological or physical testing required for basic police-course eligibility or peace-officer certification.
Applicants are subject to drug testing.
Must satisfy statutory eligibility restrictions related to specified felony convictions, offenses requiring sex-offender registration, misdemeanor domestic-violence convictions, qualifying restraining orders, and dishonorable discharge from a branch of the armed services.
Knowledge of applicable laws, rules, regulations, legislation, policies, and procedures; evidence-based offender-supervision practices; community resources; re-entry and transitional services; report writing; investigation and law-enforcement practices; counseling and motivational interviewing; and substance testing and collection methods.
Ability to build effective working relationships with communities, families, service agencies, and support systems; locate suitable employment for community-based offenders; motivate behavior change; manage substantial caseloads; testify in court; communicate effectively orally and in writing; apply evidence-based community-supervision practices; and use electronic technology for supervision and offender information management.
For Level III, knowledge of a specific area of evidence-based practice and ability to provide staff consultation, training, mentoring, and oversight.

Responsibilities

Manage a caseload of adult felons using motivational interviewing and scientific assessments of criminogenic risk and need.
Determine offenders’ stages of change and identify criminogenic needs.
Refer offenders to treatment and programs that address their primary criminogenic needs.
Monitor offender activities for compliance with transition-plan action steps and conditions set by the releasing authority.
Assist offenders in obtaining and maintaining employment and in developing pro-social community support networks, interests, and activities.
Conduct investigations, including pre-sentence, interstate, pre-pardon, and pre-parole investigations.
Prepare reports on offender activities and provide recommendations to the releasing authority.
Maintain physical and electronic documentation relating to offender caseload management.
Monitor, collect, and document payments of financial obligations ordered by the releasing authority.
Assist in 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, potentially provide training and guidance to others on routine assignments.
At Level III, provide direct cognitive programming, consult, train, mentor, and oversee staff in an area of evidence-based practice, and supervise offenders with complex behavioral-management issues.