Job Details for U.S. Probation Special Offender Specialist

The Special Offender Specialist will perform duties that involve high-risk issues with primary focus on sex offenses. Other high-risk issues may involve substance abuse, mental health, computer-related crimes, violent crimes, as well as cases with location monitoring conditions.

Officers must be Behavioral Interventions and Location Monitoring certified. This position may also require the completion of pre-release investigations and the orientation of sex offenders who are transitioning from the Residential Reentry Center to supervised release and in some cases moving from FLM to supervised release. This will require knowledge of the Guide to Judiciary Policy, Volume 8, Parts E, F and I, as well as the Sex Offender Procedures Manual. The selected person must complete STARR training.

Applicants for this position must have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in a major such as criminal justice, criminology, psychology, sociology, human relations, or business or public administration, which provides evidence of the capacity to understand and apply the legal requirements and human relations skills involved in the position. Preference will be given to those with a master’s degree in a closely related field, and/or officers who have voluntarily participated in committees that review policy for high-risk supervision cases. To qualify for a position of probation officer specialist, a person must possess three years of specialized experience, including at least one year as a CL 28 probation/pretrial services officer in the U.S. Courts. Specialized experience is defined as progressively responsible experience in the investigation, counseling, and guidance of clients in a community corrections environment.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Perform investigative and supervision responsibilities for clients in both general cases and specialized cases which include clients who are identified as being high-risk. Conduct investigations, prepare reports, and make recommendations for the court in general, high-risk, and/or specialized cases by interviewing clients and their families and collecting background data from various sources. An integral part of this process is the interpretation and application of policies and procedures, statutes, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedures, and may include U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Guides, and relevant case law in the area of specialization.
• Serve as a resource and expert to the court, line officers, and staff in high-risk, specialized cases. Guide, advise, train, and make recommendations to other officers, the court, and other individuals in cases involving area of specialization. Assist in developing policies and proposals to provide needed services. Train line officers on identification and treatment of clients in high-risk cases.
• Participate in on-going training and educational opportunities to further develop and/or enhance techniques and skills relating to investigation and supervision practices of clients in area of specialization. Provide management and staff with ongoing updates related to changes with this client population, and with procedural matters related to aftercare.
• Track developments in the law and update staff and the court. Enforce court-ordered supervision components and implement supervision strategies. Maintain personal contact with clients through office and community contacts and by telephone. Investigate employment, sources of income, lifestyle, and associates to assess risk and compliance. Address substance abuse, mental health, domestic violence, and similar problems and implement the necessary treatment or violation proceedings, through assessment, monitoring, and counseling.
• Investigate and analyze financial documents and activities and take appropriate action. Interview victim(s) and provide victim impact statements to the court. Ensure compliance with Mandatory Victims Restitution Act. Responsible for enforcement of location monitoring conditions ordered by the court and may perform location monitoring reintegration on behalf of the Bureau of Prisons (FLM).
• Analyze and resolve disputed issues involving clients and present unresolved issues to the court for resolution. Assess clients’ level of risk and develop a blend of supervision strategies that include monitoring, restrictions, and interventions.
• Communicate with other organizations and persons (such as the U.S. Parole Commission, Bureau of Prisons, law enforcement, treatment agencies, and attorneys) concerning clients’ behavior and conditions of supervision. Identify and investigate violations and implement appropriate treatment, alternatives, and/or sanctions. Report violations of the conditions of supervision to the appropriate authorities. Prepare reports of violation matters and make recommendations for disposition.
• Participate in ongoing training and education opportunities to further develop and/or enhance knowledge, techniques, tools, and skills relating to the investigation, supervision, and treatment practices of sex offenders, location monitoring, and high-risk clients.
• Locate, provide, and schedule suitable contract and non-contract services to maximize effectiveness of treatment or services for high-risk clients while following established procedures and protocols. Maintain paper and computerized records of results and progress. Respond to judicial officer’s request for information and advice. Serve as a resource and expert in high-risk issues to staff, line officers, and the court. Maintain detailed records of case activity. Conduct surveillance and/or search and seizure at the direction of the court.
• Schedule and conduct drug use detection tests and DNA collection of clients, following established procedures and protocols. Maintain paper and computerized records of test results. Maintain chain of custody of urinalysis testing materials. Testify in court as to the basis for factual findings and (if warranted) guideline applications. Maintain detailed written records of case activity.
• Perform administrative duties regarding mental health treatment, substance abuse, location monitoring, sex offenses and sex offender treatment, computer-related crimes, financial, and other high-risk issues. Guide the work of staff providing administrative and technical assistance to officers.
• Provide advice, consultation, and program vision and direction and make proposals to the Chief, as needed.
• The responsibilities of a Specialist differ from Officer positions in that their jobs have greater complexity and require more extensive knowledge in an area of specialization.
• A Specialist must possess strong skills in communicating (orally and in writing) and working with judges, attorneys, other law enforcement agencies, and correctional agencies. Ability to interact and communicate effectively (orally and in writing) with people of diverse backgrounds, including law enforcement and collateral agency personnel at different government levels, community service providers, and offenders/defendants. Ability to interview and establish rapport with contacts at collateral agencies, offenders/defendants and their families/support systems, and others for the purpose of supervision and investigation.
• Work is performed in an office setting and in the community and may be subject to variable hours, including nights and weekends. Work requires regular contact with persons who have violent backgrounds. These contacts may be made in both generally controlled office settings as well as in field situations (such as uncontrolled and unsafe neighborhoods/environments where illegal activities and violence may occur).
• Perform any other duties as assigned.