Probation Officer (Probation Counselor II)

This position is located in the Community Corrections Services Unit of the Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court, which serves a diverse, multi-lingual adult population referred to the Court for charges that are domestic in nature or where the victim is a minor. Provides high quality supervision and case management services in conjunction with evidence-based practices to adult offenders held in the Adult Detention Center or referred to pre-trial and probation supervision in the Community Corrections Services Unit. Maintains a caseload of adult offenders placed on pretrial and probation supervision, conducts intakes including collecting data from arrest documents, personal interview with defendants and criminal histories. Uses various risk assessment tools including the VPRAI (Virginia Pretrial Risk Assessment Instrument) and OST (Offender Screening Tool) in determining level of risk, level of supervision, and criminogenic needs for development of case success planning. Completes court ordered pre-sentence investigation reports, affidavits for court order violations, notice of positive drug screen reports, termination reports, and progress reports to the referring Court as appropriate.

These cases require specialized counseling skills and treatment approaches (e.g. dual diagnosis, batterer intervention, mental health and substance abuse) by coordinating with all necessary service providers in different disciplines. Uses Evidence Based Practices such as Motivational Interviewing (MI), and interventions such as Carey Guides and EPICS (Effective Practices in Community Supervision) in developing case success plans to assist in the rehabilitation of offenders through supervision, counseling, or referral to public and private agencies. Aids defendants in obtaining employment, treatment, housing, and other community services. Ensures case data is entered into the Department of Criminal Justice Services database, PSLP (Pretrial Services and Local Probation), in accordance with agency and state-mandated guidelines. Conducts record checks using NCIC/VCIN and must have extensive working knowledge of applicable agency, county, and public databases. Requires extensive knowledge of court processes, attends court hearings and testifies before the Judiciary on matters concerning bond, pretrial and probation supervision, and pre-sentence investigation report cases. Conducts alcohol and drug testing as appropriate. Provides coverage for Arraignment Officer duties as needed which involves the review of all defendants' cases prior to arraignments using the arrest warrant, bail determination sheet, Virginia Court Appointed Counsel sheet, criminal and traffic histories, defendant demographics sheet, the VPRAI with Praxis recommendation, the Brief Jail Mental Health Screen and all reference notes collected during the initial jail interview. Formulates a recommendation and presents recommendations regarding bond, conditions of release and court appointed counsel eligibility to the Judiciary in court at arraignments. Conducts initial interview of defendants in the jail if not completed at time of arrest. Must maintain valid NCIC/VCIN certification.

The population of Fairfax County is very diverse where 38.7% of residents speak a language other than English at home (Spanish, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indo-European, and others) and we encourage qualified candidates who are bilingual in English and another language to apply for this job opportunity.

(The knowledge, skills and abilities listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list.)

Knowledge of casework supervision practices and procedures;
Knowledge of the principles of psychology and sociology;
Knowledge of current social and economic conditions;
Ability to use technology to enter and retrieve information;
Ability to interpret laws, rules, and regulations related to probation work and victim services;
Ability to interview and counsel clients;
Ability to prepare complete case records and reports;
Ability to develop effective working relationships with a variety of individuals.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Any combination of education, experience, and training equivalent to the following: (Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for "Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to")
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor's degree in social/behavioral sciences, criminal justice, or education plus two years of professional experience in probation work, social work, criminal justice, juvenile justice, education, or counseling. A master's degree in the disciplines above may be substituted for one year of the required experience.

CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:
Valid driver's license (required at the time of application)
VCIN - VA Criminal Information Network (Required within 6 months of hire)
National Crime Information Center (NCIC) (Required within 6 months of hire)

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
The appointee to the position will be required to complete the following to the satisfaction of the employer:

• Criminal Background Investigation
• Child Protective Services
• Driving Record Check

• Bachelor's degree in a related field.
• Three or more years of experience working in the Judicial system.
• Experience providing probation/court services.
• Experience with case management and supervising clients in the community.
• Experience working in Courtroom setting and high-volume Community Corrections or other probation office.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills with a strong attention to detail.
• Outstanding organizational skills with the ability to prioritize work and make decisions independently with minimal supervision.
• Intermediate ability to work in Microsoft programs including Word, Outlook, and Excel.
• Experience using the National Crime Information System (NCIC)/Virginia Criminal Information Network (VCIN).
• Experience using a probation case management system such as Pretrial and Community Corrections case management system (PTCC), Pretrial Services and Local Probation (PSLP) or BADGE.

• Ability to input, access, and retrieve information from a computer.
• Ability to travel to various locations throughout Fairfax County to provide coverage, attend meetings and trainings.
• Ability to operate a motor vehicle.

• Ability to operate keyboard driven equipment and clearly communicate with others.
• Visual acuity is required to read data on computer monitor.
• All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.