Basic Purpose

Positions within this job family are assigned responsibilities involving providing routine social casework in the classification and assignment of offenders committed to a correctional institution or advanced social casework pertaining to the re-entry of offenders into the community.

Typical Functions

• Uses interview techniques and assessment instruments to determine the offender’s security risks and programmatic needs; prepares case history reports and recommends program assignments.
• Reviews work and conduct records of all assigned offenders to determine progress or necessity of changing assignments or security classification; serves as a member of the classification unit for an assigned caseload.
• Advises offenders on personal problems, employment resources, vocational skills, educational and training needs, family problems and institutional adjustment.
• Delivers programs to offenders which are designed to assist in a successful re-entry into the community following release from incarceration.
• Assists with, or prepares reports such as parole summaries or court ordered presentence investigations.
• Receives and takes necessary action on incoming and outgoing mail to or from assigned offenders.
• Develops, monitors, and amends offender transition plans in line with re-entry programs and services.
• Establishes collaborative network with relevant partners to provide support, pre and post release services for offenders which involve family members and community resources and social service agencies.

Level Descriptors

Level I:

This is the basic level where incumbents perform entry-level routine case management work, under close supervision, involving classification and assignment of offenders committed to a correctional institution.

Level II:

This is the career level where incumbents perform a full range of case management tasks involving the classification and assignment of offenders committed to a correctional institution. Incumbents at this level are responsible for overseeing difficult advanced classification and counseling cases.

Level III:

This is the specialist level where incumbents are responsible for providing programs such as substance abuse treatment, cognitive behavior and sex offender treatment; and offender re-entry case management functions to include; coordination of strategic social casework; classification; development of transitional/intervention plans; conducting and analyzing offender assessments; developing family and community collaborative support teams, and providing service referrals and follow-up.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Competencies

Level I:

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required at this level include knowledge of vocational guidance and social adjustment principles; of available institutional industrial positions and the future market for those skills; of interviewing and counseling techniques; and of the social and psychological problems facing offenders.

Ability is required to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others; to communicate effectively; and to determine which segment of the facility will be best suited to an offender’s social and correctional needs.

Level II:

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required at this level include knowledge of vocational guidance and social adjustment principles; of available institutional industrial positions and the future market for those skills; of interviewing and counseling techniques; of the social and psychological problems facing offenders; of the principles of personality development and adjustments; and of the social structure of an offender population and individual assimilation into it.

Ability is required to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others; to communicate effectively; and to determine which segment of the facility will be best suited to an offender’s social and correctional needs.

Level III:

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required at this level include knowledge of vocational guidance and social adjustment principles; of available institutional industrial positions and the future market for those skills; of interviewing and counseling techniques; of the social and psychological problems facing offenders; of the principles of personality development and adjustments; of the social structure of an offender population and individual assimilation into it; of related government laws and practices; and of community resources.

Ability is required to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others; to communicate effectively; to determine which segment of the facility will be best suited to an offender’s social and correctional needs; and to motivate offenders in a positive, constructive manner.

Education and Experience

Level I:

Education and Experience requirements at this level consist of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university; or an equivalent combination of education and experience, substituting one year of experience in a correctional facility in a position which requires direct contact with inmates for each thirty semester hours of the required education.

Level II:

Education and Experience requirements at this level consist of a bachelor’s degree and two years of correctional records management or social casework which involved the classification and assignment, field supervision, apprehension or investigation of offenders, or as a chief of security in a community corrections center, or in a professional administrative position with responsibilities for maintaining inmate records, establishing procedures or serving as an assistant to a warden. Substitution of a master’s degree for one year only of the required specialized experience; or an equivalent combination of

education and experience substituting one year of the experience in a correctional facility in a position which requires direct contact with inmates for each thirty hours of the required education.

Level III:

Education and Experience requirements at this level consist of a bachelor’s degree and three years of correctional records management or social casework which involved the classification and assignment, field supervision, apprehension or investigation of offenders, or as a chief of security in a community corrections center, or in a professional administrative position with responsibilities for maintaining inmate records, establishing procedures or serving as an assistant to a warden. Substitution of a master’s for one year only of the required specialized experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience substituting one year of the experience in a correctional facility in a position which requires direct contact with inmates for each thirty semester hours of the required education.

Note: No substitution will be allowed for the required period of qualifying specialized experience described in levels, II, III, and IV.

Preference will be given to applicants with college degrees.