CDOC - SSPT II Parole Trainee Northern Region

Is your goal to be a Community Parole Officer?  

Do you have the passion to invest in an exciting career?

This is a unique recruitment for a Parole Trainee.  Individuals selected for this position will gain experience and training toward the target class of Community Parole Officer.

Work Location:  This recruitment will be used to fill positions in the Northern Region which includes Ft. Collins, Greeley and Longmont.  No other locations will be considered.  The eligibility list created from this recruitment may be used to fill additional vacancies in this area.

Who can apply: This position is open to Colorado state residents. 

Hiring Rate: Although the entire salary range is provided, Parole Trainees are hired at the range minimum, which is $3,484/month.

The mission of the Colorado Department of Corrections (CDOC) is "To protect the citizens of Colorado by holding offenders accountable and engaging them in opportunities to make positive behavioral changes and become law abiding, productive citizens." 

Our vision..."Building a safer Colorado for today and tomorrow." 
 

If your goal is to build a career that makes a difference and builds greater public confidence in good government, consider joining the dedicated people of the State of Colorado. Our professionals strive to support state government and the citizens of Colorado. Customer service is a key component for every position in state government as is the focus on ideas and ways to redesign the delivery of services in making state government more effective and efficient.

In addition to a great agency and rewarding, meaningful work, we offer: 

• Distinctive career advancement opportunities throughout the state system;    

• Strong, secure, yet flexible retirement benefits including PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan plus 401K and 457 plans;

• Medical and dental health plans;     

• Short and long term disability coverage;    

• Paid life insurance;    

• 11 paid holidays per year plus vacation and sick leave;    

• Wellness program, tuition reimbursement, training opportunities and more.

The Division of Parole exists to manage and supervise offenders on a 24 hour per day, seven day per week, 365 day per year basis to provide public safety and opportunities for successful re-entry of offenders returning to the community. Re-entry support services collaborate with this setting. The unit ensures compliance with federal and state statutes, CDOC regulations, Parole Board conditions and agreements, Code of Penal Discipline, community corrections standards, Interstate Compact rules and regulations and other established rules/standards for the supervision of offenders.
 
This is a trainee position and the individual appointed will receive on-the-job training and attend formal courses designed to develop the characteristics for the targeted class of Community Parole Officer. 

Under direction and supervision, the primary duties and responsibilities will be as follows:

• Field work (e.g. pre-release plan investigation, home visitation, job verification, parole violation investigation);
• Apply evidence-based assessment, case planning and supervision techniques, set by policy and standards of practice, under the supervision of a team leader or supervisor;
• Direct the assessment and supervision plan of community-based offenders through the analysis of case material and interviews to update the Colorado Transition Accountability Plan (CTAP) by incorporating community supervision conditions and updating the offender's goals;
• Monitor offender compliance and progress by overseeing employment, drug treatment and screening, restitution payments, residential status, and specialized treatment programs consistent with the community supervision plan and division contact standards and escort to specific activities, if needed;
• Interact with offenders and use motivational interviewing and other evidence based practices to reinforce pro-social behavior and assist offenders in developing effective problem solving skills and attaining goals;
• Provide crisis intervention, personal counseling and guidance to offenders in resolving interpersonal, familial and financial problems to enhance offender success and better ensure public safety;
• Respond to offender non-compliant behavior by investigating violations, and imposing appropriate sanctions consistent with the Colorado Violation Decision Making Process (CVDMP) or community violation matrix, most of which are managed in the community and do not require arrest;
• Present case information for a variety of evidentiary hearings to include COPD (Code of Penal Discipline) hearings, Parole revocation hearings, YOS (Youthful Offender System) revocation proceedings, and Interstate Compact probable cause hearings as well as serving as a hearing officer for COPDs conducted on residential and CRCF (Community Return to Custody Facility) offenders in compliance with due process standards;
• Attend training and develop skills in evidence based supervision techniques to include motivational interviewing, assessment and case planning, and cognitive behavioral interventions;
• Maintain proficiency in the use of firearms, arrest control techniques, CPR, and first aid;
• Maintain a thorough understanding of use of force compliance with certification according to State Statue and CDOC policy;
• Perform other job related duties as assigned or required.

ONLY APPLICANTS WHO MEET THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS SHALL BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS ANNOUNCEMENT

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

#1)  Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice, business administration, public administration, management, social science, social work, counseling, labor and industrial relations, or a closely related field. ((Applicants must upload a copy of your unofficial college transcripts that include your name, college name, degree and date conferred with your application, in order to receive credit). 


- OR - 

#2)  *Professional level related work experience in the area of counseling, social work, **corrections and/or law enforcement, which provided the same kind, amount, and level of knowledge acquired in the required education, will substitute on a year-for-year basis for the bachelor's degree. (Part-time experience will be pro-rated).

- OR - 

#3)  A combination of coursework listed in #1 above and professional work experience listed in #2 above, which totals at least four (4) years.

Applicants must meet ONLY one of the minimum qualifications listed above to be considered. If selected for this position, a detailed training plan will be available which discusses the trainee position requirements to include:

Individuals appointed to a Parole Trainee position will be sponsored by the Colorado Department of Corrections to enroll and must successfully complete a Basic Law Enforcement Academy (or refresher course if eligible to regain certification) and obtain Peace Officer Standard Training (POST) certification after hire. The employee will be responsible for paying the entire cost of training upon enrollment, which is approximately $8,000-$10,000. After successful POST certification with a grade of "B" or better, the employee will be reimbursed up to $10,000 of his/her tuition and will qualify for the target class of Community Parole Officer (CPO).  The current base CPO pay for the Department of Corrections is $5,279/month.  The website for information regarding POST is http://www.coloradopost.gov/.

Necessary Special Requirements: 

• Must currently possess and maintain a valid driver's license.
• Must be at least 21 years of age; and have no felony convictions or domestic violence history.
• Must be willing and able to enroll in a Basic Law Enforcement Academy and pass all classes/courses to obtain POST certification.
• Must be willing to commit a minimum of two years to the Division of Parole with a signed agreement. 
• Position will be required to successfully pass a background check to include a Psychological Evaluation.
• Position will be required to be armed at all times (after certification) in the field and in the office when having offender contact.
• Position will require travel, shift work, on-call and call-back status.

Required Competencies:

• Strong interpersonal/customer service skills focusing on respectful interaction;
• Ability to self-motivate and take initiative;
• Ability to balance public safety with re-entry goals;
• Ability to organize, plan and prioritize work;
• Strong computer skills with the ability to adapt to advances in technology;
• Effective written and oral communication skills with the ability to reach a variety of audiences;
• Ability to communicate important information and verbally summarize incidents;
• Ability to make decisions and think critically to solve problems;
• Ability to multi-task and demonstrate flexibility;
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships and collaborate with others;
•  Ability to work with a high risk/high need population;
• Ability to work with a diverse population;
• Ability to read and comprehend the English language;
• Ability to effectively communicate fluently in English both verbally and in writing. 

Preferred Qualifications:   (Candidates may receive higher rating for possessing any preferred qualifications criteria).

• Experience as an offender advocate to help offenders reintegrate successfully into society;
• Knowledge of law enforcement, corrections, parole, or probation operations, or case management;
• Experience with community supervision as an alternative to incarceration;
• Experience working in a correctional or community supervision environment; 
• Broad knowledge of social perceptiveness, human behavior, attitudes, motivation and its applicability in the rehabilitation of offenders;
• Experience working with hard to serve, high need, or high risk clients;
• Experience with case planning and includes setting goals and objectives;
• Knowledge of Evidence Based Practices and Interventions for the successful re-entry of offenders;
• Experience with Motivational Interviewing;
• Relevant year of State of Colorado experience.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

The Assessment Process: Your application will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum Qualifications (MQ's). Applicants that meet MQ’s will be included in the Comparative Analysis process. Colorado Revised Statutes require that state employees are hired and promoted through a comparative analysis which may include, but is not limited to, a suitability screening, eSkills Assessment, oral assessment, written performance assessment or it may include a review of your application material and your responses to any supplemental questions by a Subject Matter Expert (SME) to assess and rank applicants in order to establish an eligible list for referral to the hiring manager for final consideration.

Be sure the “Work Experience” section of your application is complete and specifically addresses your qualifications, experience, and accomplishments as they relate to the Description of the Job, Minimum Qualifications, Required Competencies and Preferred Qualifications as listed above. Resumes and “see resume” statements will not be accepted in lieu of the “Work Experience” section of the application. Failure to include adequate information or follow instructions by the closing date may result in your application not being accepted and/or may affect your score, rank or inclusion in the final pool of eligible applicants.

If you have transcripts, a license or other relevant documentation regarding your qualifications, upload and attach copies to your application.

If an unofficial copy of transcripts is being submitted at the time of application, transcripts from colleges or universities outside the United States must be assessed for U.S. equivalency by a NACES educational credential evaluation service. This documentation is the responsibility of the applicant and must be included as part of your application materials. Failure to provide a transcript or credential evaluation report may prevent your application from moving forward in the selection process.

In order to process a background investigation, your application must include at least (10) ten years of the most current work experience unless experience related to the job for which you are applying is later than (10) years. Failure to provide this information could result in delays and/or elimination from the background investigation process

Toll Free Applicant Technical Support: If you experience technical difficulty with the NEOGOV system (e.g. uploading or attaching documents to your online application) call NEOGOV technical support at 855-524-5627 Mon-Fri between 6 am and 6 pm (Pacific Time).  Helpful hints: if you are having difficulty uploading or attaching documents to your application first, ensure your documents are PDF or Microsoft Word files and second, close the document before you attempt to upload (attach) it.

**You are encouraged to print a copy of this announcement for your records**

Salary : $3,484 - $5,575