Probation Officer I

Chester-County-of-Pennsylvania; West Chester (Chester County); On-site; USD 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

Chester County is seeking an Adult Probation Officer I to supervise individuals on parole or probation and promote long-term positive change. You will enforce court-ordered conditions, gather information, and coordinate with victims, law enforcement, and treatment providers.

The role emphasizes risk/needs assessments, motivational interviewing, and timely court reporting, with field and occasional court appearances as needed.

Qualifications

• Verbal and written skills.
• Interviewing and investigating skills.
• Organizational and time management abilities.
• Interpersonal and customer service skills.
• Analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Prioritization and multi-tasking.
• Motivated and able to work independently.
• Detail oriented and confidentiality.
• Honesty, integrity and professional ethics.

Responsibilities

• Provide ongoing supervision by maintaining regular contact with justice-involved individuals.
• Monitor compliance with probation/parole conditions and court-imposed rules.
• Gather information through interviews with clients, victims, and others as needed.
• Promote evidence-based practices like risk/needs assessments and motivational interviewing.
• Refer to treatment programs and monitor participation and progress.
• Complete and submit court reports with accuracy and timeliness.

Job description

The Adult Probation Officer I is responsible for the supervision of individuals that have been granted parole or sentenced to probation by the court. The role encourages long term positive change, enforces compliance with court ordered conditions and helps reduce the risk of recidivism. This role serves under the auspices of the Chester County Court of Common Pleas.

• Provides ongoing supervision by maintaining regular contact with justice involved individuals, monitoring compliance with rules and regulations of probation and parole, along with special conditions imposed by the court. Officers work to ensure community safety, identify violations, and take appropriate action.
• Maintains professional and timely contact with family members, victims, members of law enforcement, the court, community, and treatment providers.
• Gathers information through interviews with clients, victims, court, law enforcement, treatment providers and other parties as necessary.
• Supports, promotes and actively engages in the use of evidence-based practices such as risk and needs assessments, motivational interviewing, case planning and skill building exercises.
• Utilizes the risk/needs results to make appropriate referrals to treatment agencies to address the individual’s needs and continuously monitors the individual’s participation and progress in these programs to ensure compliance and appropriate outcomes.
• Enforces confidentiality of protected information
• Completes and submits court reports with an emphasis on accuracy, timeliness, professionalism, appropriate use of grammar and proper formatting.
• Actively promotes teamwork among units and the department.
• Ensures that all information pertaining to case work is well documented, thorough, and accurate.
• Supports and monitors the collection of fines, costs, and restitution.
• Maintains a confident demeanor with the ability to testify in court regarding all information pertaining to those individuals under supervision.
• Performs duty team tasks, which include assisting with temporarily unsupervised caseloads, answering phone calls, testifying in court, and interviewing new clients who have been sentenced or released from prison.

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, or an equivalent combination of training, education and experience.
• Completion of the state provided/funded Adult Probation and Parole Basic Training Academy and Defensive Tactics Training Certification, within six months of employment.

Preferred:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Criminal Justice or related field, and six months of probation/parole experience, criminal justice, or social service case management.

Strong demonstrated abilities required:

1. Verbal and written skills
2. Interviewing and investigating skills
3. Organizational/Time Management skills
4. Interpersonal skills
5. Customer Service skills
6. Analytical/Problem Solving skills
7. Prioritization/Multi-tasking skills
8. Motivated/Works Independently
9. Detail Oriented
10. Confidentiality
11. Honest, Integrity and Professional Ethics

Also required:

• Supports the Vision, Mission and Guiding Principles of the Adult Probation, Parole and Pretrial Services Department.
• Basic knowledge of criminal justice terminology and court procedures.
• Strong ability to assess needs and priorities.
• Ability to work extended/non-traditional hours.
• Valid driver’s license and use of personal vehicle.

Preferred:

• Familiarity with the laws and procedures concerning probation/parole supervision (i.e., search and seizures, violations, confidentiality etc.).
• Knowledge of illegal and prescription drugs, and the effects, and length of time spent in someone’s system.
• Working knowledge of psychology and substance abuse.
• Knowledge of evidence-based practices and motivational interviewing.
• Ability to handle and resolve recurring problems and to make firm and unbiased decisions.
• General working knowledge of County of Chester policies and procedures.

Bilingual ability is required for bilingual specialist role.

Relevant background checks, clearances, physicals, drug tests, and any other assessments or evaluations will be conducted after an offer of employment is given per County policy.

Computer/technical skills

• Basic Microsoft Office Suite, including Outlook
• Basic internet skills
• Basic Court System software skills and data entry skills for Case Management system

Physical Requirements

• Ability to frequently:
  • Walk, sit, stand, talk, hear and drive
• Ability to occasionally:
  • Bend at the waist, kneel, stoop, crouch, squat, climb stairs, taste and smell
• Ability to rarely:
  • Carry, lift or push items, twist or rotate at the waist and reach above shoulder height
• Required vision:
  • Close and distance vision while driving a vehicle
  • Peripheral vision for safety reasons (ability to observe an area that can be seen up and down or to the left and right while eyes are fixed on a given point).

work environment

• Generally, moderate noise levels, may vary by location.
• Approximately 75% work indoors, with 25% field work (visiting defendant’s homes, place of employment, courtroom appearances, treatment facilities, etc.)

• Monitoring drug and alcohol use exposes incumbent to potential health risks.

• Unable to carry weapons while in the field/office.

Other Duties

• This job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of responsibilities required for this job. Responsibilities may be assigned or changed at any time.

additional information

• Relevant background checks, clearance, physicals, drug tests and any other assessments or evaluations will be conducted after an offer of employment is given per County policy.
  • PATCH – Criminal History
  • FBI Fingerprinting
  • Drivers History