Pretrial Officer (Treatment Courts) - Lee County

SUMMARY

The treatment court officer performs professional work that ensures effective monitoring of defendants identified and approved to participate in treatment courts.   

The officer in this position performs case management functions and must develop strong working relations with other team members from the Judiciary, the offices of the State Attorney and Public Defender, Clerk of Court, probation officers, and treatment providers.  

The officer in this position shall exercise independent judgment and initiative within the scope of authority.  All officers are cross-trained and act as backup for other pretrial or probation officer positions.  Duties and assignments may be changed with notice based on department needs.

A treatment court officer’s primary responsibilities include the following: (1) Case Management (2) Team Facilitation (3) Court Functions (4) Case Supervision (5) Other duties as assigned 

• Monitor referrals and timelines and coordinate scheduling 
• Record and maintain case details from specific court events and enter into databases
• Track case statistics and program data 
• Analyze reports to identify delays and facilitate progression
• Review and ensure accurate data is entered into IJIS and DCCM systems  

• Serve as a liaison between agencies and the court
• Provide information as it relates to participant and operational handbooks and assist with updates to these and related documents
• Assist with team training and recognition events and meetings relating to treatment courts 

• Attend designated court events, and staffing, and provide case status updates and future court dates
• Provide case management support to the courts by tracking and providing relevant case and/or program information
• Perform screening for determination of indigence for appointment of counsel as necessary
• Interact with state attorneys, public defenders, court personnel and other outside agencies

4. Case Supervision

• Conduct orientations and prepare reporting plans
• Monitor court ordered conditions
• Provide case management functions and follow-up with treatment providers
• Motivate positive behavioral change and encourage participants in completing requirements 
• Maintain accurate and current case files 
• Provide notification to the court on non-compliance and make appropriate recommendations 
• Conduct drug/alcohol screens upon request by the court 

5.  Other Duties as Assigned

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  The requirements listed in this document are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Knowledge of: 

• Methods, practices, principles, procedures and techniques used in interviewing and investigating as it pertains to the operation of the department and treatment courts
• Basic structure of the criminal justice system
• Local, state and federal guidelines, rule, regulations and statutes and they pertain to treatment courts
• Mental illness and substance abuse
• Best practices and operational procedures of treatment courts

Ability to:

• Work efficiently and effectively in all areas of treatment courts
• Deal effectively, professionally and confidentially with the judiciary, non-judicial personnel, attorneys and the general public
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates, superiors and the public
• Efficiently operate a personal computer, utilize Microsoft Office and various other software programs and databases
• Follow written and oral instructions and procedures
• Effectively interpret general policies and procedures 
• Understand and assist to ensure operational and participants handbooks are followed
• Maintain statistical data and produce reports
• Maintain jail security clearance
• Cover other shifts and assignments as required

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, psychology, sociology, public administration or a related field.

•  Two years of criminal justice, case management or experience with treatment courts preferred.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals.  Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, percentages, and decimals.  

REASONING ABILITY

Must be able to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form.   Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations. Must be able to evaluate problems, isolate key issues, research and develop alternative solutions and to present management with recommendations that include, at a minimum, the advantages, the disadvantages, and the cost and staff impact of recommendations.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

While performing the duties of this position you are regularly required to stand, walk, talk, hear, frequently required to feel, reach with hands and arms, taste, or smell, occasionally required to sit, climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl, must frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, color vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

The work environment for this position is moderate to noisy.  

Obtain and maintain NCIC/FCIC computer operator certification within 30 days of hire

May be required to drive within the circuit

EQUIPMENT UTILIZED

Automobile, personal computer, telephone/cell phone, fax, scanner and copier

This position description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) incumbent in this position.  Employee(s) will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments.

This position description has excluded the marginal functions of the position that are incidental to the performance of essential job duties.  All duties and responsibilities are essential job functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities.  To perform this job successfully, the employee will possess the skills, aptitudes, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently.  Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health or safety of themselves or others.  The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills and abilities.

Employees of the State Courts System, which includes Court Administration employees, are at-will employees.  This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, and may be revised or rescinded at any time, due to operational necessity, at the sole discretion of the Court Administrator and or Chief Judge.