Probation Parole Officer

State of Montana•Kalispell, MT

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The Probation and Parole Officer works for the Montana Department of Corrections’ Public Safety Division to manage the correctional population, promote public safety, and encourage offenders to make positive changes. The officer cooperates with the public and criminal justice system and supervises and counsels a caseload of 80–100 offenders, balancing social work and law enforcement duties. The officer conducts pre-sentence investigations and provides written recommendations to the District Court and Parole Board regarding placement, rehabilitation, treatment, probation conditions, and incarceration. Officers connect offenders with resources and programs, assess risk and needs, and monitor compliance. They investigate alleged violations, arrest and detain violators, and testify in court and information hearings. The role may involve hostile or physically threatening situations. Officers are trained to use Oleoresin Capsicum (O.C.) spray and firearms and carry handcuffs. Schedules may vary and include nights and weekends. Officers may be called back at any hour and must be available 24/7 when called upon to assist a Department of Corrections facility or law enforcement agency. The work may require physically making arrests and defending oneself in high-risk situations. Job-related travel may be required up to 10% of the time, in addition to training travel. The position requires a related college degree and formal behavioral-sciences training, subject to approved exceptions and substitution of qualifying work experience. POST Basic Certification is required after training at the Montana Law Enforcement Academy and successful completion of one year of employment with the Department of Corrections.

Requirements

At least a college degree in a related field, such as criminology, psychology, social work, sociology, or guidance and counseling, and some formal training in behavioral sciences; exceptions and substitution of qualifying work experience require department approval.
Qualifying work experience in corrections/detention, criminology, education, medicine, psychiatry, psychology, law, law enforcement, social work, sociology, psychiatric nursing, or guidance and counseling may substitute for education at a rate of one year of experience for nine months of formal education, with department approval.
Must obtain POST Basic Certification after attending training at the Montana Law Enforcement Academy and successfully completing one year of employment with the Department of Corrections.
For POST certification: be a U.S. citizen and at least 18 years old; be fingerprinted for a criminal history search; meet the stated criminal history and good-moral-character requirements; have a high school diploma, GED, or equivalent; and possess or be eligible for a valid Montana driver’s license.
Ability to balance social work and law enforcement duties.
Ability to handle hostile or physically threatening situations, make arrests, and defend oneself in high-risk scenarios.
Availability for varying schedules, including nights and weekends, possible call-backs at any hour, and 24/7 availability when called upon.
May be required to travel up to 10% of the time for the job, in addition to training travel.
Candidates convicted of a felony or misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, or subject to a court order of protection as described in the notice, are not qualified.
Candidates meeting the disqualifying conduct provisions described under the Prison Rape Elimination Act notice are not qualified.

Responsibilities

Supervise and counsel 80–100 offenders while balancing social work and law enforcement duties.
Cooperate with and solicit information from the public and criminal justice system.
Conduct pre-sentence investigations and prepare written reports with recommendations to the District Court and Parole Board.
Recommend offender placement, rehabilitation and treatment plans, probation conditions, and whether incarceration is needed and at what level.
Refer offenders to appropriate resources and programs based on supervision standards, risk and needs assessments, and knowledge of state and community resources.
Monitor offenders’ progress and compliance.
Investigate alleged probation or parole violations.
Arrest and detain violators.
Testify in district court and information hearings concerning sentencing or revocation of probation or parole.
Assist Department of Corrections facilities or law enforcement agencies when called upon.