County Probation Officer | Highland County Probation Department

Reports to: Chief Probation Officer or designee.

Responsibilities

• Supervises a caseload of misdemeanor offenders referred primarily from the Hillsboro Municipal Court.
• Conducts face-to-face meetings and home/field visits.
• Installs Electronic Monitoring House Arrest equipment and conducts daily monitoring of offenders placed under house arrest.
• Makes appropriate referrals to in-house programming and/or external service providers based on assessed needs, monitors compliance with said referrals.
• Supervises and monitors compliance of community service participants.
• Enforces collection of financial sanctions as imposed by the court and/or the Highland County Probation Department.
• Conducts offender assessments to determine appropriate risk/need levels.
• Accurately and thoroughly documents progress of each offender.
• Provides testimony to the court to determine compliance/non-compliance with conditions of supervision.
• Conducts pre-sentence, offender background, and/or other comprehensive investigations (e.g., interviews offenders, obtains offender information including court records, social history, arrest reports, mental health and/or substance abuse treatment data, and victim and/or victim’s family’s statements) and prepares comprehensive reports.
• Prepares information as needed for the court.
• Operates personal computer to input and/or verify information about offenders; maintains offender files and investigation reports.
• Attends staff meetings, conferences, and training sessions.
• Develops and maintains public relations with community agencies and citizen groups through speaking engagements and membership on community councils and committees.
• Complies with department policies, procedures, and regulations.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Knowledge of probation, social or behavioral science, or criminal justice.
• Knowledge of investigative techniques, interviewing, report writing, public relations.
• Ability to apply principles to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of variables in somewhat unfamiliar contexts.
• Ability to interview offenders and draw conclusions.
• Ability to gather, collate, and classify information about people, data, and things.
• Ability to prepare and maintain accurate records and reports.
• Ability to cooperate with co-workers on group projects.
• Ability to handle sensitive interpersonal relationships.
• Ability to deal with uncooperative/hostile offenders, family, and friends.
• Ability to deliver presentations.
• Knowledge of offender risk assessments, case planning, evidence-based practices relating to probation, and behavior modification techniques.
• Ability to apply knowledge to assist offenders in lowering the likelihood of future criminality.
• Ability to use standard office equipment such as personal computer, fax machine, scanner, etc.
• Knowledge of and familiarity with basic computer operating systems, word processing software, databases, spreadsheets, internet, and email software.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university; no legal prohibition against carrying a firearm; valid driver’s license.
• OR Associate degree from an accredited college or university; 2 years of experience in criminal justice, corrections, law enforcement, social service, or related field.

Working Conditions

• Requires travel.
• May be assigned to high crime areas and/or institutional settings.
• Exposed to risk of violence, communicable diseases, vicious animals, unpleasant living conditions, and other environmental hazards.
• Must be able to work unsupervised.
• May be on call after hours.
• May monitor, collect, and transport urine samples for substance abuse testing.
• Required to carry and maintain proficiency in firearms.