CORRECTIONAL COUNSELOR 2* -06182024-58915

Job Information

LOCATION OF (1) POSITION TO BE FILLED: DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, ADMINISTRATION DIVISION, MADISON COUNTY

Qualifications

Education and Experience: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree and experience equivalent to one year of full-time professional social or psychological counseling work.

Substitution of Education for Experience: One year of graduate coursework in a social or behavioral science may be substituted for the year of professional counseling experience.

Substitution of Experience for Education: Full time social or psychological counseling experience can be substituted for the required education on a year for year basis for a maximum of two years; requiring two years of study at an accredited college or university.

OR

One year as a Correctional Counselor with the State of Tennessee Department of Correction.

Necessary Special Qualifications: Applicants for this class must:
Examination Method: Education and Experience, 100%, for Preferred Service positions

Summary

Summary: Under general direction, is responsible for professional correctional counseling work of average difficulty; and performs related work as required.

Distinguishing Features: ,This is the working level class in the Correctional Counselor sub-series. An employee in this class supervises a caseload of incarcerated offenders inside a correctional facility. This class is flexibly staffed with and differs from the Correctional Counselor 1 in that an incumbent of the latter performs entry-level work. This class differs from the Correctional Counselor 3 in that an incumbent of the latter is responsible for leading others in counseling work.

Responsibilities

Processing Information:

• Calculates sentencing information to determine the accuracy of an offender's sentence computation.
• Verifies that offender sentencing complies with judgment order.
• Completes initial intake packages and/or risk-need assessments on offenders.
• Prepares and maintains records and reports on offender history, progress, adjustment, rule violations, visitation, recommendations for special visits, and other related statistics.

Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others:

• Provides appropriate interventions in interactions between staff and offenders to resolve issues of conflict.

Getting Information:

• Administers risk/needs assessment to offenders using motivational interviewing techniques.
• Conducts Prison Rape Elimination Act screenings to determine potential victim or aggressor status.
• Speaks to appropriate agencies and personnel to gather information relevant to offender history.
• Interviews offenders to evaluate progress in accomplishing recommendations and parole board mandates.

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards:

• Evaluates all offender records, case notes, and information to ensure compliance with all applicable standards, laws, policies, rules, and regulations.

Coaching and Developing Others:

• Develops workshops for offender reentry and career development.
• Facilitates workshops for offender reentry and career development.

Selling or Influencing Others:

• Uses motivational interactions with offenders to realign offender behaviors, thinking, and reactions to conform to facility rules and societal norms.

Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings:

• Reviews offender files to fulfill various institutional needs.
• Participates in classification and reclassification hearings to review information relevant to offender behavior, program participation, and other factors for the purpose of determining offender custody levels and programmatic goals.
• Supervises a caseload of up to 150 offenders in an institutional setting.
• Monitor environment to identify security related concerns in order to assure continued safety of the facility.
• Monitor offenders to ensure compliance with recommendations and parole board mandates.

Developing Objectives and Strategies:

• Develops reentry plans for offenders within established time frames and in accordance with departmental procedures.
• Provides counseling and instruction specific to the needs of a reentry caseload.
• Contacts and counsels with offender family members concerning release.
• Counsels offenders concerning risk of reoffending.
• Provides information to offenders in regards to community resources and methods of finding and keeping employment and improving family relations.

Assisting and Caring for Others:

• Collaborates with medical professionals to provide information to offenders regarding advanced directives.
• Assists offenders to adjust to incarceration by conducting individualized or group sessions with assigned offenders to discuss facility and program rules and regulations.
• Counsels offenders regarding personal and family issues as needed.
• Addresses offender mental health and medical needs with appropriate staff.

Scheduling Work and Activities:

• Schedules outside services to assist with offender transition from prison to the community.

Communicating with Persons Outside of the Organization:

• Assists offenders with communicating with persons or agencies outside of the institution to expedite release plans or respond to emergencies.

Documenting/Recording Information:

• Documents referrals made to offenders regarding outside services.
• Records risk-needs assessment interviews for quality assurance.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems:

• Assists offenders in addressing their concerns regarding job pay, trust fund, sentence information, educational needs, and programs.
• Identifies issues with offender behavior to ascertain appropriate intervention techniques.

Interacting with Computers:

• Enters and retrieves information concerning offenders using computerized databases daily.
• Uses web-based programs to communicate with persons inside and outside the agency concerning offender needs.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates:

• Communicates with other counseling personnel to gain knowledge or understanding of counseling responsibilities.
• Communicates with various institutional personnel to meet offender needs.
• Provides information to other team members in treatment team meetings and staffings regarding offender progress in programming.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge:

• Attends various mandated training to enhance job skills and performance.

Analyzing Data or Information:

• Analyzes disciplinary reports to determine offender behavior trends.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events:

• Identifies offender movement to ensure caseload accuracy.

Competencies

Competencies:

• Time Management
• Problem Solving
• Listening
• Written Communications
• Integrity and Trust
• Composure
• Patience
• Self-Knowledge
• Decision Quality
• Dealing with Ambiguity

Knowledge:

• Clerical
• Computers and Electronics: Intermediate knowledge of web-based databases, word processing, e-mail systems, and data entry
• Education and Training
• Law and Government
• Mathematics
• Psychology: Basic knowledge of human behavior and performance, individual differences in ability, personality, and interests, and learning and motivation
• Public Safety and Security
• Sociology: Basic knowledge of group behavior and dynamics as well as societal trends and influences
• Counseling: As it pertains to offenders

Skills:

• Active Listening
• Active Learning
• Critical Thinking
• Learning Strategies
• Math
• Reading Comprehension
• Speaking
• Writing
• Coordination: As relates to offender behavior
• Instructing
• Negotiation
• Persuasion
• Service Orientation
• Social Perceptiveness
• Complex Problem Solving
• Judgment and Decision Making
• Time Management

Abilities:

• Deductive Reasoning
• Fluency of Ideas
• Information Ordering: As it relates to determining behavior trends
• Oral Comprehension
• Oral Expression
• Originality
• Problem Sensitivity
• Selective Attention
• Spatial Orientation: As it relates to institutional safety
• Time Sharing
• Written Comprehension
• Written Expression
• Auditory Attention
• Speech Clarity
• Speech Recognition

Tools & Equipment

• Personal Computer
• Printer
• Word Processing Software
• Electronic/Paper Documents
• Multi-line Telephone
• Calculator
• Copy Machine
• Fax Machine
• Digital Recorder
• 2-Way Radio
• Keys
• Lamination Machine
• Calendar/Planner
• Files
• Shredder
• Lamination Machine