U.S. Probation / Pretrial Services Officers serve in a judiciary law enforcement capacity and assist in the fair administration of justice. Incumbents promote community safety, gather information, conduct investigations, interact with collateral agencies, prepare reports, present recommendations to the court, and supervise and monitor persons under federal supervision.
Representative Duties
- Conduct investigations and prepare reports for the court with recommendations, which requires interviewing defendants/persons under supervision and their families, as well as collecting background data from various sources. An integral part of this process is the interpretation and application of the U.S. Sentencing Commission guidelines and relevant case law.
- Enforce court-ordered supervision components and implement supervision strategies. Maintain personal contact with defendants and persons under supervision, including community contact. 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.
- Identify and investigate violations and implement appropriate alternatives and sanctions. Report violations of the conditions of supervision to the appropriate authorities. Prepare written reports of violation matters, and make recommendations for disposition.
- Review and resolve disputed issues involving defendants/persons under supervision and present unresolved issues to the court for resolution. Assess persons under supervision/defendants’ level of risk and develop a blend of risk management strategies for controlling and correcting risk.
- Respond to judicial officer’s requests for information and advice. Testify in court as to the basis for factual findings and guideline applications. Serve as a resource to the court.
- Communicate and consult with other organizations, including law enforcement agencies, attorneys, victims, Bureau of Prisons, treatment agencies and community resources.
- Regular use of information technology, automated equipment, electronic case management/filing systems, and systems available for conducting background checks, criminal histories, and other investigative databases.
- Responsible for enforcement of location monitoring conditions ordered by the court.
- May conduct surveillance and/or search and seizure at the direction of the court.
- Regular travel within the district and occasional travel outside the district for ongoing professional development and training.
- Evening and weekend work is required for supervision activities and/or mission critical tasks.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications - Completion of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in a field of academic study which provides evidence of the capacity to understand and apply the legal requirements and human relations skills involved in the position, is required.
Specialized Experience:
Progressively responsible experience, gained after completion of a bachelor’s degree, in such fields as probation, pretrial services, parole, corrections, criminal investigations, or work in substance/addiction treatment, public administration, human relations, social work, psychology, or mental health.
Experience as a police, custodial, or security officer, other than any criminal investigative experience, is not creditable.
Preferred Qualifications
- Documented experience conducting presentence investigations and preparing presentence reports and/or maintaining a caseload, enforcing court ordered supervision conditions, and implementing supervision strategies.
- Experience with evidence-based practices a plus.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills. Superior attention to detail.
- Ability to organize and prioritize work schedule, and work independently with minimal supervision. Ability to work under pressure of short deadlines while maintaining a positive and professional demeanor.
- Fluency in a foreign language a plus.
- Previous community corrections and/or social services experience is preferred for entry level (CL 25) consideration.
Additional Conditions of Employment
- Knowledge of, and compliance with, the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees and court confidentiality requirements. Ability to consistently demonstrate sound ethics and judgment
- Applicants must be a U.S. Citizen or eligible to work in the United States.
- The U.S. Probation Office is part of the Federal Judiciary. Judiciary employees serve under excepted appointments and are considered “at-will” employees.
- New officers will attend a six-week training academy at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Charleston, South Carolina within the first year of employment.
- Applicants may be required to submit to job-related testing and/or writing assessments as part of the screening process.
- A valid driver’s license is required.
- This position is subject to mandatory direct deposit for payment of net pay.
Physical Requirements - The duties of probation and pretrial services officers require the investigation and management of alleged criminal offenders or convicted offenders who present physical danger to officers and to the public. In the supervision, treatment, and control of these offenders, these duties require moderate to arduous physical exercise, including prolonged periods of walking and standing, physical dexterity and coordination necessary for officer safety, and use of self-defense tactics. Candidates must be physically capable to perform these duties.
Maximum Entry Age - First time appointees to positions covered under law enforcement officer retirement provisions must not have reached their 37th birthday at the time of appointment. Applicants 37 or over who have previous feder-al law enforcement officer experience under the Federal Civil Service Retirement System or the Federal Employees Retirement System and who have either a subsequent break in service or intervening service in a non-law enforcement officer position may have their previous law enforcement officer experience subtracted from their age to determine whether they meet the maximum age requirement.
Medical Examination, Drug Screening and Background Investigations - First time appointees to the position of U.S. Probation Officer must undergo an extensive federal back-ground investigation. Further, prior to appointment, the selectee considered for this position will undergo a medical examination and drug screening. Upon successful completion and clearance of the medical examination, drug screening, and a preliminary background check (which includes FBI fingerprinting, credit check, and a criminal history/driving record check), the selectee may be appointed provisionally.
In addition, as conditions of employment, incumbent will be subject to ongoing random drug screening, updated background investigation every five years, and, as deemed necessary by management for reasonable cause, may be subject to subsequent fitness-for-duty evaluations.
