Job Title: Probation

Division:

Promotion Potential:

Salary:

Location: St. Thomas/St. John District

Status: Open

Posted on: 05/15/2024

Deadline: 05/28/2024

Description:

PROBATION OFFICER

INTERNAL/EXTERNAL OPPURTUNITY

Location:                          St. Thomas/ St. John District 

                                               Division:                                 Probation Division

                                               Number of Vacancies:          1

Promotion Potential:             Yes

Salary:                                    $23.79 - $38.99 per hour

                                                 Requirements:                       Possession of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in the behavioral sciences.  Previous experience (six months to two years) in law enforcement, criminal justice, or social services is preferred.  Additional relevant training in substance abuse preferred.

Required Documents:           Cover Letter, Resume, Employment Application, and other relevant documents (Applicants must use portal to apply.  In person submissions will not be accepted.)

Opened:                                  Wednesday, May 15, 2024

                                            Closes:                                    Tuesday, May 28, 2024 at 4:00 pm (Atlantic Standard Time) for first consideration; OPEN UNTIL FILLED

Apply Here

Link:

Nature of Work

                This is responsible professional probation work in providing casework services in an adult probation program.  Duties include supervising a reasonably manageable caseload.  Employees also investigate, supervise, and counsel individuals on or anticipating probation to facilitate their personal, social, and economic adjustment in the community.  Employees in this class counsel adult offenders in activities related to legal conditions of probation.  Work also involves supervising persons on parole who are paroled from a sentence imposed by the Territorial Court.

            The work is performed in accordance with established policies, but the use of good judgment is required in the application and interpretation of rules and regulations.  Direct supervision is received from the Chief Probation Officer or designee.

Essential Functions (Any one position may not include all of the duties listed, nor do the examples cover all the duties which may be performed)

  • Interviews offender, family members, victim(s), and witnesses in order to obtain information relevant to the preparation of presentence reports and to formulate a rehabilitation plan.
  • Confers with legal representatives (such as, Attorney General, defense attorney, public defender) when necessary and reviews documents pertaining to legal and social history of offender.
  • May appear as a witness at probation or parole revocation hearings and may testify before the court or parole board.
  • Compiles and prepares reports, testifies in court, and makes recommendations concerning conditional release or institutionalization of offender.
  • Informs offender or guardian of legal requirements of conditional release, such as visits to office, restitution payments, or educational and employment stipulations.
  • Counsels’ offender and family or guardian, assists offender in securing employment, arranges for custodial care, and refers offender to social resources within the community to aid in rehabilitation.
  • Refers probationers to social services, mental health and substance abuse agencies, temporary housing, family counseling centers, legal aide and community service agencies.
  • Monitors offender’s compliance to court-ordered and standard conditions imposed, including making field visits to home, places of employment, and treatment programs/service providers.
  • Maintains an accurate running record of all contacts and any status changes, such as, re-arrests, convictions, revocations, expirations, and terminations.
  • Maintains monthly statistics of all clients, field visits, home visits, and referral to other agencies.
  • Supervises parolees as part of the assigned caseload; assists with pre-trial releases.
  • Attends court hearings, such as, sentencing, advice of rights, arraignments, order to show cause, motion for reduction of sentence, calendar call, plea hearings and jury trials or at the request of a judge.
  • Other duties as assigned or required.

    Knowledge, Abilities and Skills

  • Knowledge of the principles of adult probation work and related court procedures.
  • Knowledge of criminal behavior and psychology.
  • Knowledge of adult behavior and family dynamics.
  • Knowledge of the social, cultural, economic, psychological and legal issues influencing the attitudes and behaviors of clients and their families.
  • Knowledge of relevant Territorial law.
  • Knowledge of interviewing and counseling techniques.
  • Knowledge of community resources available to probationers, parolees, and their families.
  • Ability to persuade assigned probationers and their families to work for positive behavioral changes.
  • Ability to prepare accurate and reliable reports containing findings, conclusions, recommendations, and justifications.
  • Ability to accurately document contacts/observations.
  • Ability to assess client needs, risks and substance abuse behavior.
  • Ability to organize time and effectively manage workload.
  • Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with the probationers/parolees and their families, chief territorial probation officer and probation staff, judges, private and public human service agencies; professional groups, the public, and Board of Parole.
  • Ability to maintain the confidentiality of information.
  • Ability to work effectively as a member of a team.
  • Ability to be perceptive, versatile, flexible yet firm and matter-of-fact when necessary.
  • Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.
  • Ability to deal with upset, angry, and emotionally charged people and resolving conflicts.
  • Skill in the operation of a personal computer with word processing applications.

Working Conditions

The work is performed in an office environment and involves exposure to above normal, everyday risk which requires additional safety precautions not typical of other offices.  Employees may be exposed to violent or non-compliant clients or family members and be on-call for work evenings and on weekends.

Physical Demands

This position requires activities such as sitting for long periods, standing, bending, stooping, reaching, climbing stairs, transferring light to medium weight objects, and operating office equipment.  Work may also require driving.

Qualifications (Any combination of training and work experience which indicates possession of the knowledge, abilities and skills listed above.  An example of an acceptable qualification for this position is:)        

Possession of a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in the behavioral sciences.  Previous experience (six months to two years) in law enforcement, criminal justice, or social services is preferred.  Additional relevant training in substance abuse preferred.

Licensure and Certification:  Possession of a current driver’s license valid in the U.S. Virgin Islands is required.

Submissions that do not include the requested documents will not be considered.  The judiciary will only contact applicants selected for interviews.

Judicial Branch Administrative Office

Human Resources Division

P.O. Box 70

St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands 00804

Tel: (340) 774-6680

E-mail:[email protected]

The position will remain open until filled. Submissions that do not include the requested documents will not be considered. The Court will only contact applicants selected for interviews. Any applicant who needs a reasonable accommodation shall advise the Court’s ADA Coordinators.