Protective Services Specialist

City-of-Richmond,-Va; Richmond (VA); On-site; USD 35,000 - 49,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Richmond Department of Justice Services seeks a Protective Services Specialist for the Juvenile Detention Center. Responsibilities include counseling, recreation, and daily living activities for detained youths, with duties spanning safety, supervision, and program delivery.

This role is essential, requiring readiness to work during emergencies and severe weather. The incumbent collaborates with staff, maintains logs, and participates in trainings and special programs to support

Qualifications

• Associate's degree or higher in a related field is required/preferred.
• Experience in secure detention or with at-risk youth is preferred.
• Equivalency may be accepted via department approval.

Responsibilities

• Monitor and enforce security procedures and department rules.
• Direct and supervise daily physical education, dining, recreation, hygiene, and housekeeping activities in a secured facility.
• Deliver resident needs including linens and supplies.
• Maintain discipline and apply disciplinary measures as needed, including restraints.
• Counsel residents and conduct psycho-educational groups as required.
• Coordinate shift tasks and provide support to coworkers.
• Encourage participation in activities and supervise arts, sports, and games.

Skills

Communication

De-escalation

Confidentiality

Interdepartmental collaboration

Mental health awareness

Education

Associate's degree in human services, social work, criminal justice, or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Electronic databases

Badge/Empower software

Job description

** This opportunity is not to exceed a max compensation amount of $30.56/Hourly. **

The City of Richmond Department of Justice Services is seeking highly qualified candidates to fill the position of Protective Services Specialist at the Juvenile Detention Center. The incumbent is responsible for providing proper counseling, recreation, and daily living activities for incarcerated residents detained at Richmond Juvenile Detention Center.

This position is considered Essential, the incumbent is required to work when the City is closed due to public emergencies, critical or hazardous conditions, and inclement weather.

• Monitoring and enforcing security procedures and department policies and rules
• Directing and supervising daily physical education activities, including dining, recreational, personal hygiene, and housekeeping activities in a secured facility
• Providing for resident's needs, including the delivery of linens, and supplies
• Maintaining basic discipline and applies disciplinary measures for residents, including restraints as appropriate
• Counseling residents and conducts psycho-educational groups as required
• Coordinating shift tasks with other counselors; providing support, guidance, and back-up to co-workers as necessary
• Encouraging youths to participate in activities provided by the Center, supervising their participation in comprehensive activity programs including basic arts and crafts, sports, and table games; instructs and participates directly in various phases of the program
• Maintaining daily log, preparing reports and other documents related to daily activities
• Transporting residents to and from Juvenile Detention Facility when necessary
• Inspecting resident's rooms to ensure compliance with all facility policies and procedures concerning possessions, cleanliness, etc.; searches residents for contraband
• Participating in the maintenance of the building, grounds, and department equipment; performs laundry duties as necessary
• Coordinating and/or participating in special programs and projects as assigned.
• Attending meetings and training seminars to enhance job knowledge and skills and to maintain certifications
• Eating with residents each meal, supervising seating and serving, as well as table manners and general behavior
• Attending staff meetings for the purpose of exchanging information
• Assisting in admissions and release procedures for residents
• Performing related work as required

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Considerable knowledge of processes and procedures within the juvenile justice industry such as processing and working with detainees; and maintaining safety and order.
• Considerable knowledge of various mental health behavioral needs of detained youth.
• Considerable skills operating computer programs such as Microsoft Office suite, electronic databases, and related software applications such as Badge or Empower.
• Considerable ability to communicate with various internal and external departments.
• Ability to de-escalate adverse situations.
• Must have the ability to maintain confidentiality, established procedures, use critical thinking, and utilize independent judgment.

MINIMUM TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE:

• Associate's degree in human services, social work, criminal justice, or related field
• Experience working in a secure detention environment or with at-risk youth is preferred
• An equivalent combination of education, training and experience (as approved by the department) may be used to meet the minimum qualifications.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Previous experience working in corrections or working with incarcerated youth in a secured facility.
• Excellence in communication skills and critical thinking.

LICENSING, CERTIFICATIONS, and/or OTHER SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• A valid Commonwealth of Virginia Driver's License within 30 days of hire
• A valid Driver's License with a satisfactorydriving record. (Please note: A candidate’s DMV record can have no more than 6 demerit points in one year. Additionally, a candidate with a DWI/DUI conviction within 3 years of the date of application or of the date of hire automatically disqualifies an applicant. Conviction of more than one DWI/DUI automatically disqualifies an applicant).
• CPR and first aid certification are required within a timeframe established by the City after the initial hire date
• Successful completion of specialized departmental training
• This position will provide an on-the-job training program

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job. Prospective and current employees are invited to discuss accommodations.

ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS: Working conditions may include exposure to travel to other locations within the City of Richmond as well as outside of the City of Richmond; exposure to hazardous physical conditions such as mechanical parts, electrical currents, vibrations, etc.; atmospheric conditions such as fumes, odors, dusts, gases, and poor ventilation; inadequate lighting; intense noise; and environmental hazards such as disruptive people, imminent danger, and a threatening environment.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT: Due to the nature of work assignments, incumbents must be able to perform detailed work on multiple, concurrent tasks, with frequent interruptions and under time constraint. The essential duties of this classification may require the ability to regularly talk and hear; frequently reach and see; and occasionally perform repetitive motions, lift, walk, stand, crouch, kneel, stoop, and balance. The working conditions may include environmental hazards. In terms of the physical strength to perform the essential duties, this classification is considered to be sedentary , exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, and a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to move objects.