Preference will be given to applicants with college degrees.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.