JUDICIARY OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY

Case Processing Band SpecificationProbation Officer Track

BAND SUMMARY 

A position in the Judiciary Case Processing Band Probation Officer Track conducts pre-disposition investigations and prepares reports; collects court-ordered payments; monitors and enforces conditions of probation and/or court order; provides access to social services to assist in rehabilitation of law offenders; and/or makes recommendations for alternate dispute resolution, adjudication, rehabilitation planning and treatment of offenders, including conditional release, substance abuse treatment, and education and employment stipulations. This track is used to classify positions in the vicinage Probation, Family, and Criminal Divisions. 

LEVEL SUMMARY 

Level 1 - Trainee/Investigator (Investigator): Employees at this level conduct interviews and perform investigatory work including initial case work-up and data entry in support of pre- and post-dispositional functions, complaints, allegations, enforcement activities, and other court services. Prepare reports for the court, monitor case flow, and provide case information to requesters. In Child Support Enforcement, manage a caseload requiring minimal follow up.

Level 2 - Basic (Probation Officer): Employees at this level perform case management functions, pre-disposition and intake functions, and prepare reports for the court. Monitor and enforce conditions of probation and/or court orders. Refer clients to treatment programs, therapeutic or rehabilitative placements, and arrange referrals to appropriate agencies. Make recommendations to the court.

Level 3 - Journey (Senior Probation Officer): Employees at this level perform case management functions and prepare reports for the court. Direct the activities of the probationer of a higher level complex case type. Refer clients to treatment programs, therapeutic or rehabilitative placements, and arrange referrals to appropriate agencies. Handle higher level complex responsibilities in addition to assigned caseload. Make recommendations to the court. May advise staff or team members with work in progress and/or train staff.

Level 4 - Mastery (Master Probation Officer): Employees at this level perform case management functions, and prepare reports for the court. Direct the activities of the probationer at a higher level complex case type. Refer clients to treatment programs, therapeutic or rehabilitative placements, and arrange referrals to appropriate agencies. Handle higher level complex responsibilities in addition to assigned caseload. Make recommendations to the court. Assigned to act as mentor or lead worker, provide technical advice and expertise, and/or as act as a subject matter expert.

NOTE: The above summary and following examples of work are for illustrative purposes only. Any one position may not include all of the tasks listed, nor do the examples cover all of the duties, which may be performed. Tasks are cumulative; higher levels include the tasks associated with lower. 

TASKS 

Level 1 

Annotate calendars with additional information required by judges

Answer questions posed by judges, the public, clients, customers, complainants, co-workers, subordinates or supervisors

Collect and/or maintain case statistics or financial data to generate status reports

Compile records or other written materials

Compose routine correspondence, such as form letters or standard replies to inquires

Conduct investigations

Determine status of complaints in accordance with established procedures or regulations

Explain judiciary policies or procedures to clients or customers

Gather relevant facts pertaining to cases

Greet customers, clients or visitors

Inform managers about clients'/customers' work progress or related matters

Interview clients or customers for needed information and document acquired information

Interview complainants and document acquired information

Investigate clients' or customers' personal or criminal history

Maintain records, files, or other written materials

Monitor casework flow

Monitor clients' or customers' payment pattern of court ordered payments

Monitor location of clients or customer 

Operate electronic or manual information systems

Participate in team/work unit meetings

Prepare investigative fact-finding reports

Provide information to judges, attorneys, or community organizations

Provide quality customer service to court users and/or internal customers

Provide cross-training to co-workers; for example, demonstrate to other staff how you perform your work

Review clients' or customers' records

Review documents submitted to the court for compliance with court rules and approved practices

Schedule meetings, appointments, interviews and other activities necessary for accomplishing job assignments 

Verify addresses, employment, or community contacts of prospective probationers, program participants or obliges

Verify authenticity or validity of documents

Verify clients' or customers' eligibility for assistance

Verify clients' or customers' information

Verify entered data against source documents

Write case notes or draft other case related correspondence

Level 2 

Act as a liaison and/or establish working relationships with divisions, vicinages or other outside organizations

Adhere to statutes, court rules, case law, manuals or policies for cases related to clients or customers

Advise judges, management or members of a tribunal on case issues

Advise the families or guardians of clients or customers on court processes or procedures

Analyze case histories

Analyze case processing and/or bail from intake through disposition

Analyze cases in accordance with existing laws, regulations or professional practices

Approve continuances or adjournments in adherence to state or local division rules or practices

Arrange for clients' or customers' admission or discharge into/from facilities

Arrange for clients' or customers' enrollment into training or educational programs

Arrange psychological testing of clients or customers

Assemble case files, documents or exhibits for hearings, trials or board meetings

Check written reports for completeness and accuracy

Collect court-ordered payments

Collect samples or specimens to test for alcohol or substance abuse

Complete subpoenas, writs, or other related legal documents

Conduct consent conferences for parents, guardians, and extended family members on such issues as child support, custody, or visitation rights

Conduct home visits

Conduct pre-court conferences

Confer with members of a case management team for program or case management

Consult with clients' or customers' treatment team

Coordinate activities between or among agencies or other government or enforcement units

Coordinate attorney's availability or readiness for hearings, trials and other court events

Determine the existence of a crisis situation for a client, customer and/or defendant requiring professional intervention

Develop treatment, including drug treatment, plans for clients or customers through community contacts

Discuss marital or other relationship problems and available resources with clients or customers

Discuss substance abuse issues with clients or customers

Draft correspondence, reports or proposals

Examine transcripts, case files, records or other materials to determine issues or sufficiency of evidence for certification

Explain conditions of program, probation or community service

Identify clients' or customers' case management needs or areas of concern

Inform clients or customers of available agency support programs or services

Inform litigants on the procedures related to case management

Interpret accounting, financial or statistical data 

Maintain department issued equipment and/or assigned fleet vehicle

Manage case flow and/or monitor outcomes 

May place electronic monitoring devices on clients/customers in accordance with state law and department policy

Monitor clients' or customers' treatment progress

Monitor terms of services and/or conditions in compliance with court orders

Obtain affidavits, evidence or other materials for hearings or trials

Present facts of case at hearings or court proceedings

Oversee progress of adult or juvenile offenders in complying with court ordered terms of probation or program and in counseling recommendations

Prepare cases for hearing

Prepare court orders

Prepare report of findings from legal research

Prepare technical, statistical, financial, review or evaluation reports 

Prepare trial notices or calendars

Prioritize cases

Provide guidance to clients or customers with personal problems or specific needs, for example, social, emotional, financial, vocational, rehabilitative

Provide guidance to the families or guardians of clients or customers, including recommendation of treatment programs and counseling alternatives

Provide testimony as an officer of the courts

Recommend alternative living arrangements for juvenile or adult clients or customers

Recommend appropriate court orders for submission to the courts

Recommend cases to court for adjudication or other dispute resolution mechanism

Recommend enforcement of federal, state, county or local laws according to client's compliance to terms of probation or program

Recommend improvements in operating procedures, programs, standards, work processes, or administrative practices 

Recommend incarceration of violators of probation or program

Recommend procedures to ensure compliance with court orders

Recommend social service agencies or community organizations to clients or customers

Recommend strategies for case progression and meeting case management goals

Recommend therapeutic or rehabilitative placements

Recommend treatment, including drug treatment, programs for clients or customers through community contacts

Refer clients to treatment programs based on compliance with terms of probation or program

Refer individuals to appropriate federal, state, county or local agencies

Respond to attorney, litigant or citizen complaints

Review case status with judges, managers or supervisors

Review clients' or customers' probation, program or community service violations

Review court activities for compliance with procedures, laws, court rules, or administrative directives

Review financial information in accordance with policies and procedures and/or system and auditing requirements

Review trial or other calendars for appropriate calendar balance

Review trial or other calendars for completeness or accuracy

Screen and assign cases to appropriate track or event

Summarize dispositions, interrogatories or testimony for review by others

Write reports for the court on which judicial determinations will be based

Level 3 

Apply statutes, court rules, case law, policies, or other regulatory standards to cases

Conduct financial audits for accuracy, compliance or legitimacy following standards to maintain security or confidentiality

Coordinate work activities of unit or team members

Determine clients' or customers' treatment objectives

Direct and/or coordinate work between units or teams 

Discuss specialized treatment or supervision with adult and/or juvenile clients or customers as needed

Evaluate clients or customers with more complex or chronic problems

Facilitate crisis intervention counseling

Facilitate group counseling sessions

Facilitate individual counseling sessions 

Give advice or assist staff or team members with work in progress

Identify barriers to successful completion of program and develop potential solutions

Identify intervention points and develop strategies for resolution

Participate in the development of operational programs, procedures, practices and standards

Provide structured training to co-workers

Serve on committee(s) or task force(s) 

Level 4 

Act as lead worker to team members or other group of non- subordinates in assigned tasks

Design case management processes

Evaluate case management systems to offer suggestions or solutions to existing problems

Mentor and coach clients or customers

Mentor and coach staff; provide direction and feedback

Provide higher level technical advice and/or expertise to staff, peers or management

Resolve disputes, conflicts or problems regarding programs or services

COMPETENCIES

NOTE: The following competencies are cumulative in nature. For example, lower level competencies are prerequisite to higher levels.

Level 1 

Attention To Detail - Thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail.

Customer Service - Committed to providing quality services. Works with clients and customers to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems, or satisfy their expectations. Knows about available products and services.

Flexibility - Open to change and new information. Adapts behavior or work methods in response to new information, changing conditions, or unexpected obstacles.

Information Management - Identifies a need for and knows where and how to gather information. Organizes and maintains information or information management systems.

Integrity and Honesty - Contributes to maintaining the integrity of the organization. Displays high standards of ethical conduct and understands the organization’s standards, including confidentiality in court operations, when appropriate, and the impact of violating these standards on an organization, self, and others. Trustworthy.

Interpersonal Skills - Shows understanding, respect, collegiality, courtesy, tact, empathy, cooperation, concern, and politeness to others. Develops and maintains effective relationships with others which may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed. Relates well with people from varied backgrounds and different situations. Sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, disabilities, and other individual differences. Participates fully in team activities. Models pro-social behavior in interactions with participants.

Knowledge Retention - Recalls information that has been presented previously.

Oral Communication –Effectively communicates information, for example, ideas or facts, to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information, for example, technical, sensitive, or controversial. Makes clear and convincing oral presentations. Listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.

Organizational Awareness - Knows the organization’s mission and functions, and how its social, political, and technological systems work and operates effectively within them, including the programs, policies, procedures, rules, and regulations of the organization.

Perceptual Speed - Quickly and accurately sees detail in words, numbers, pictures, and graphs.

Public Safety and Security - Knowledgeable of investigation and inspection techniques and the rules, regulations, precautions, and prevention techniques for the protection of people, data, and property.

Reading Comprehension - Understands and interprets written material, including technical material, rules, regulations, instructions, reports, charts, graphs or tables. Applies what is learned from written material to specific situations.

Self-Management - Sets well-defined and realistic personal goals. Displays a high level of initiative, effort, and commitment towards completing assignments in a timely manner. Works with minimal supervision. Motivated to achieve. Demonstrates responsible behavior.

Team Work - Encourages and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity. Fosters commitment and team spirit. Works with others to achieve goals.

Technology Application - Uses machines, tools, or equipment effectively. Uses computers and computer applications to analyze and communicate information in the appropriate format.

Written Communication - Composes correspondence, reports and other written material that is clear, concise, well organized and understood by recipient. Recognizes and uses correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Communicates information, for example, facts, ideas, or messages, in a succinct and organized manner. Produces written information, which may include technical material which is appropriate for the intended audience.

Level 2 

Economics and Accounting - Knowledgeable of economic and accounting principles and practices, with technical competence in credit and collections.

Legal, Government, and Jurisprudence –Knowledgeable of laws, legal codes, legal documents, court procedures, precedents, legal practices, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and government organization and functions. This generally includes court rules, practices and procedures, and rules of evidence.

Mathematical Reasoning - Performs computations, such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division correctly using whole numbers, fractions, decimals and percentages. Solves practical problems by applying a variety of mathematical and statistical techniques.

Problem Solving - Identifies problems. Determines accuracy and relevance of information. Uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations.

Psychology - Knowledgeable of human behavior and performance in various contexts, mental processes, or the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders. Maintains the boundaries of the dual role relationship, for example supervision and rehabilitation.

Reasoning - Identifies rules, principles, or relationships that explain facts, data, or other information. Asks pertinent questions to acquire needed information. Analyzes information and makes logical inferences or draws accurate conclusions.

Stress Tolerance - Deals calmly and effectively with high stress situations, for example, tight deadlines, hostile individuals, emergency situations, dangerous situations.

Technical Competence - Uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or extensive on-the-job experience to perform one's job. Works with, understands, and evaluates technical information related to the job. Advises others on technical issues. This includes knowledge in Human Services, Probation, Court Practices and Procedures, Civil Law, Criminal Law, Rules of Evidence, Legal Research and/or Social Casework.

Therapy and Counseling - Knowledgeable of diagnosis and treatment of physical and mental ailments, and career guidance.

Level 3 

Client Orientation - Anticipates and meets the needs of clients. Achieves quality end products. Committed to improving services.

Economics and Accounting - Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, with technical competence in the analysis and reporting of financial data.

Education and Training - Knowledgeable of teaching, training, research, making presentations, lecturing, testing, and other instructional methods.

Influencing/Negotiation - Persuades others to accept recommendations, cooperate, or change their behavior. Works with others towards agreement; negotiates to find mutually acceptable solutions. 

Planning and Evaluating - Organizes work, sets priorities, and determines resource requirements. Determines short- or long-term goals and strategies to achieve them. Coordinates with other organizations, or parts of the organization, to accomplish goals. Monitors progress and evaluates outcomes.

Teaches Others - Helps others learn through formal or informal methods; identifies training needs. Provides constructive feedback. Coaches others on how to perform tasks.

Level 4

Conflict Management - Manages and resolves conflicts, confrontations, and disagreements in a positive manner which minimizes negative impact.

Creative Thinking - Develops new insights into situations and applies innovative solutions to effectuate improvements or to resolve problems. Designs strategies as necessary where established methods and procedures are inapplicable, ineffective, inefficient or unavailable.

Decision Making - Makes sound, well-informed, and objective decisions. Perceives the impact and implications of decisions. Commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals. Recommends, devises, and/or implements change. Effectively deals with ambiguity.

Leadership - Influences, motivates, and challenges others. Adapts leadership style to a variety of situations.

Visualization - Mentally organizes and processes symbols, pictures, graphs, objects or other information, for example, visualizes a building from a blueprint or visualizes the flow of work activities from reading a work plan.

Technical Competence - Uses knowledge that is acquired through advanced formal training and/or extensive on-the-job experience to perform one's job.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS 

Education

Levels 2, 3 and 4 

A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in any area, which includes or is supplemented by 24 credit hours in the behavioral or social sciences.

ExperienceLevel 1 

Two years of paraprofessional experience in casework involving the collection of facts, securing and verifying socioeconomic data, obtaining information by observing conditions, examining records, interviewing individuals, and/or preparing investigative reports of findings. 

Level 3 

Two years of professional experience in casework involving gathering and analyzing socioeconomic information; determining client treatment needs; providing access to social services, therapeutic interventions, rehabilitative assistance, or professional counseling; and/or preparing reports of findings and recommendations. 

Level 4 

Four years of professional experience in casework involving gathering and analyzing socioeconomic information; determining client treatment needs; providing access to social services, therapeutic interventions, rehabilitative assistance, or professional counseling; and/or preparing reports of findings and recommendations. 

SUBSTITUTIONS 

Level 1 

Applicants may substitute semester hour credits from an accredited college or university for the required experience on a year-for-year basis with 30 semester hour credits being equal to one year of experience. 

Levels 3 and 4 

A master's degree from an accredited college or university in the behavioral or social sciences may be substituted for one year of the required experience. 

License

Appointees will be required to possess a driver’s license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle is necessary to perform essential duties of the position.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS/SPECIAL SKILLS/CONSIDERATIONS

BILINGUAL IN SPANISH AND ENGLISH VARIANT

The above examples of work are to be performed by utilizing Spanish or English, as required, depending on the needs of the individual persons communicated with during the course of official duties. Such examples do not require an individual to interpret or translate any court proceeding or in any other context. 

More information regarding classified titles is available at the New Jersey Civil Service Commission website at http://www.nj.us/csc

Effective Date: 01/20/2018