PAROLE OFFICER RECRUIT, YOUTH JUSTICE COMMISSION, BILINGUAL IN SPANISH & ENGLISH

Official job specification

The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator. Source: the official specification page at NJ CSC.

Definition

Under the immediate supervision of a supervisory officer in the Youth Justice Commission, attends residential training in various law enforcement courses as authorized by the New Jersey Police Training Commission. Observes and participates in responsibilities associated with the development, coordination, and monitoring activities of paroled juvenile offenders assigned to specific programs of varying types. Learns to utilize a balanced approach of supervision directed toward the parolee and the encouragement of family members' involvement in communal programs, counseling, and treatment as required. Attends classes and seminars addressing principles of supervision practices and surveillance activities in accord with State Parole Statutes and regulations. Assists Senior Parole Officers, Youth Justice in the performance of their assigned duties and receives on-the-job training and instruction in the proper methods and practices for monitoring parolee activities and learns other aspects of the job; does other related duties.

Examples of work

Observes and learns the proper procedures to exercise all powers and rights of enforcement to function as a law enforcement officer for the detection, apprehension, arrest, and prosecution of offenders against the law. Learns the proper usage, security, integrity, and care for carrying firearms and the responsibility of maintaining firearms and other restraints and defense equipment while performing assigned duties. Learns how to conduct and participates in interviews with juvenile offenders pending parole hearings for the purpose of determining needs assessment reviews of each juvenile offender for the development of appropriate services. Observes how to conduct ongoing case management evaluation and monitoring principles and practices of assigned cases throughout custodial and community supervision portions of the sentence. Learns how to develop and participates in the development of the delivery of services necessitated for each corresponding disposition commitment. Observes programs developed for social, emotional, and economic adjustment of juvenile parolees. Observes and participates in various classification and selection committees' processes and related principles and practices associated with these forums. Attends an in-residence Parole Officer Recruit training program to learn various law enforcement practices, instructions, and qualification of firearms training, report preparation, surveillance and detection techniques, parole laws, and applicable regulations, practices, and procedures for conducting investigations of various types and proper procedures for arrest and apprehension of parolee violators. Attends specific program classes for instruction and receives on-the-job training and specific instructions of parole related practices and principles and other areas of training needs in performing parole work in either a Regional Aftercare Office or an Institution Aftercare Office. As a recruit in training under close supervision, may be assigned as a member of a group or assigned individually for one-to-one intense training opportunities. Assists and participates in conducting investigations of existing and potential employment and educational opportunities for juvenile parolees or juveniles about to be paroled. Learns how to prepare and assists in the preparation of detailed reports to be utilized in the preparation and development of case histories and assessment reviews. Learns how to recognize and rapidly evaluate potentially dangerous situations involving parolee apprehension. Learns to exercise caution and good judgment in handling these circumstances to avoid personal injury or to prevent endangerment to the general public and/or serious personal or commercial property damage. Observes and participates in custody and aftercare program activities related to classification determinations, selection decisions, releases, available opportunities for treatment, and communal programs. Learns the techniques to properly interview juveniles, employers, educators, tutors, relatives, and other interested persons to clarify parole goals and objectives to be attained and available resources, treatment, and counseling activities of the parole release program. Learns how to identify and properly implement parole violations and the enforcement of appropriate sanctions. Learns how to conduct and participates in covert and surveillance investigations to apprehend parolees engaged in new criminal activities. Learns how to establish relationships with various community groups and agencies, various law enforcement agencies, courts, probation and welfare agencies, schools, and county outreach education programs, and medical and treatment facilities for the purpose of providing rehabilitation alternatives and communal programs as available alternatives to seeking further confinement needs. Learns the practices and procedures for monitoring specific enforcement programs. Learns how to properly serve arrest warrants and contacting local law enforcement authorities to provide resources and/or information as circumstances warrant. Learns how to serve as a resource person for juvenile parolees, liaison for Commission activities, and advocate for parolee and Commission designated communal programs and delivery of services in an efficient and cost-effective manner within the needs expediency of each case. Learns to explain court-imposed revenue obligations to be paid by parolees and collections set forth by the court and activities required to maintain recordkeeping needs and collections efforts to be accomplished. Assists in evaluating caseload needs and parolee supervision requirements. Learns how to prepare incident reports of parolee violations and procedures of reporting such incidents and the investigations required to prepare reports and recommendations thereof. Services a caseload and provides assistance to Senior Parole Officers, Youth Justice concerning juvenile parolees and their activities. Prepares and composes correspondence, memorandums, reports, and other communications. Learns how to serve as a Hearing Officer in the preliminary phases of Probable Cause Hearings and the process thereof. Learns how to act as a witness and testify before formal hearings, Grand Juries, Courts of law, administrative hearings, or other judicial bodies. When assigned to an investigative team, performs under close supervision investigations, surveillance, and covert activities in conjunction with Commission directives. Learns how to maintain and input data into a case management system addressing parolees activities and investigative matters for up-to-date status information and needs assessment reviews. Learns procedures on how to convey information to parolees and their relatives who are not knowledgeable of the English Language. Learns how to maintain essential records and the security of confidential records and files. Learns how to utilize various types of video, audio, electronic communications, photographic, and computer information systems and other various types of recording equipment, devices, and manual recordings used by the agency, institutions, facilities, or related components. Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and computerized information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.

Education

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's degree in Social Work, Criminal Justice, Psychology, or related field of study. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: AGE: Minimum of eighteen (18) years of age. CITIZENSHIP: No person shall be appointed as a State Parole Officer Recruit unless he/she is a citizen of the United States.

License

Appointees must possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey.

Knowledge, skills and abilities

Knowledge of economic, social, emotional, and other related problems of juvenile offender parolees and the issues and problems expected of such persons to encounter and the reactions thereof. Ability to learn the proper exercise in the powers and rights of a law enforcement officer for the detection, apprehension, arrest, and prosecution of offenders against the law. Ability to learn the standards and procedures for arrest and apprehension of parolee violators. Ability to interpret and apply information gleaned on the theories of social work administration practices and principles addressing juvenile offenders. Ability to interpret information gleaned on the standards and theories developed in applied penology, sociology, and criminology practices in the Youth Justice System. Ability to ensure the security, safety, care, usage, and integrity of firearms and other restraints and defense equipment. Ability to learn to recognize potentially dangerous situations and to evaluate options involving parolees' safety and when and how to exercise independent judgment in handling such volatile situations and the circumstances for warranting caution. Ability to assist with the caseload management assigned to Senior Parole Officers, Youth Justice and to learn to evaluate and maintain a caseload independently of direct supervision. Ability to learn the techniques utilized to conduct interviews and investigations of parolees, their families, and on related parole matters and issues. Ability to gain community resources awareness to be utilized for enrichment purposes for juvenile parolees, addressing social, economic, and emotional rehabilitative objectives fostered by the Youth Justice Commission directives and standards. Ability to communicate with parolees and their families to ensure parole release program compliance, who are of varying ethnic and language backgrounds, education, and economic levels. Ability to foster self-assurance attitudes for juvenile offenders and parolees to build on for themselves and toward others. Ability to learn methods to collect payments and set schedules of collections of court issued orders and agreements. Ability to learn methods and procedures for conducting investigations of various types. Ability to learn surveillance methods and procedures. Ability to learn law enforcement and administrative procedures for reporting parole violations. Ability to learn to prepare detailed and informative case histories, summaries, assessment reviews, specific classification needs for habitation objectives, parole related matters and activities monitored, findings of facts, recommendations, and conclusions. Ability to utilize electronic communications equipment and database software utilized during the extent of an investigation. Ability to respond to emergency situations expediently and remain accessible at all times including days-off and off-duty hours. Ability to learn to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with juvenile parolees, local officials, parolee relatives, and other interested parties and agencies representatives. Ability to learn the aspects and techniques to gain the confidence and respect of parolees to provide them with bonafide career opportunities and personal development and emotional stability during their rehabilitation period of adjustment. Ability to learn the levels of supervision to be applied case-by- case in evaluating circumstances and the monitoring activities of parolees. Ability to prepare detailed correspondence, memorandums, reports, summaries, and other communications on parole matters and issues as directed. Ability to learn principles and practices of agency directives as they apply to juvenile delinquency problems and issues. Ability to gather, collect, maintain, collate, interpret, and disseminate statistical information. Ability to participate in the monitoring of varying programs for the purpose of rehabilitation and educational objectives and related personal development activities of juvenile parolees and young adults. Ability to qualify with firearms on a semiannual basis. Ability to learn to utilize various types of video, audio, photographic, electronic communications, computer information systems, and other various types of recording equipment, devices, and manual recordings used by the agency, institutions, facilities, or related components. Ability to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units. Ability to read, write, speak, understand, or communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication. Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform the essential functions of the job after reasonable accommodation is made to their known limitations. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible. PROMOTION: Appointees who successfully complete the required working test period in addition to the 12-month training period, including the Police Training Commission and agency training requirements will be eligible for advancement to the title Senior Parole Officer, Youth Justice under Civil Service Commission Procedures. The inability of an appointee in this title to attain the level of performance warranting advancement to the title listed above shall be considered as cause for separation from employment. This job specification is applicable to the following title code(s) which are different work week or work month and/or variants of the job class title: Job Spec Code State, Local or Common Class of Service Work Week State Class Code Local Class Code Salary Range

Note

The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed. NOTE: Appointments may be made to positions requiring bilingual skills. Bilingual in Spanish and English. SPECIAL SKILL : Applicants must be able to read, write, speak, understand, or communicate in Spanish and English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. At the time of appointment, applicants for this position must submit acceptable proof of meeting the indicated requirements. Appointee will be required to satisfactorily complete the Basic Course for Juvenile Parole Officers mandated by the Police Training Commission as a part of the one (1) year recruit period. Such training includes successful attainment of a level of proficiency in the use of firearms. SPECIAL NOTE: Candidates certified from the eligible list for this title will be required to undergo medical and psychological examination administered by the appointing authority. The responsibility for ensuring that employees possess the required motor vehicle license, commensurate with the class and type of vehicles they operate, rests with the Appointing Authority. SPECIAL NOTES: Selected eligible candidates will be required to successfully complete the New Jersey Police Training Commission course standards in arrest, apprehension, investigations, parole supervision, and other related law enforcement requirements. Such training shall also include firearms training and the ability to qualify and successfully attain the required level of proficiency and the ability to requalify with firearms on a semiannual basis. All training requirements and the successful completion thereof these aspects reflect a one-year training period in addition to the satisfactory completion of the working test period as a Parole Officer Recruit, Youth Justice to be considered as an eligible appointee for appointment to the Senior Parole Officer, Youth Justice position. Candidates accepting employment are required to adhere to the employment restrictions that they not pursue outside gainful employment during their course of employment unless approved by the Executive Director of the Youth Justice Commission or appropriate designee. Candidates may be required during the working test period to attain required motor vehicle license commensurate with the class and types of vehicles to be operated. Verification of such license rests with the Appointing Authority. Selected eligible candidates shall meet the qualifications for juvenile corrections officers and shall be employed as juvenile corrections officers pursuant to section 6 of P.L. 1995, c. 284 (NJSA 52:17B-174). SC4099N/AF99-Bilingual In Spanish & EnglishSC4099N/AF99- This job specification is for government use only. Salary range is only applicable to state government. Local salaries are established by individual local jurisdictions. 10/4/2025