Bilingual (Spanish) Probation Officer

POSITION: Bilingual Probation Officer

(REQUIRES A BACHELOR DEGREE AND PROFICIENCY IN WRITING AND SPEAKING SPANISH AND ENGLISH.)

DEPARTMENT: Probation

WORK SCHEDULE: 35 Hours weekly

STATUS: Full-time

FLSA STATUS: Non-exempt

To perform this position successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The job requirements listed in this document are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Shelby County provides reasonable accommodations to qualified employee and applicants with known disabilities who require accommodation to complete the application process or perform essential functions of the job, unless the accommodation would cause an undue hardship.

Incumbent serves as Bilingual Probation Officer for the Shelby County Probation Department, responsible for monitoring, supervising and assisting Spanish speaking probationers.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

Supervises, meets, and monitors assigned probationers, including reviewing terms, providing written rules and signing probation agreement with clients, and visiting at home and work sites. Ensures probationers pay required fees, such as fines, court costs, and restitution.

Maintains current, accurate case files, including classifying offenders according to risk, recording probationer's character, attitude, behavior, and compliance with probation conditions, and preparing and processing various documents. Assists in preparing statistical and other reports as required.

Notifies court of probation violations, attends hearings, and testifies/makes recommendations in court proceedings and/or to other officials as required.

Cooperates with public/private community service agencies and individuals in assisting probationers and their families/guardians in obtaining treatment and/or services as needed.

Transfers supervision of offenders to other jurisdictions as requested, and supervises offenders transferred from other jurisdictions as assigned.

Assists with immigration issues and with I.C.E. detentions at jail and performs immigration background checks on suspected undocumented Latino defendants.

Serves as interpreter and document translator for court’s ADA program and other court programs, in their absence.

Periodically assists in answering phones, providing information, taking messages, or directing caller to appropriate department or individual.

Maintains current knowledge of applicable local, state, and federal rules/regulations, new developments, technology and trends in the field of probation by reading professional publications and periodically attending seminars and conferences.

Serves as department representative on various task forces, committees, and/or teams as assigned and/or requested. Periodically prepares and makes public speaking presentations to community groups as assigned.

Performs related and/or other duties as assigned.

I. JOB REQUIREMENTS:

Baccalaureate degree and ability to successfully pass/complete written exam and specified orientation as required for certification as Probation Officer by Indiana Judicial Center.

Must have proficiency in writing/speaking Spanish, and ability to serve as interpreter and document translator.

Working knowledge of and ability to make practical application of local, state and federal regulations, and standard policies and procedures of juvenile and criminal code.

Working knowledge of and ability to make appropriate referrals of probationers to treatment programs and services.

Knowledge of standard English grammar, spelling, and punctuation and ability to complete required reports.

Ability to assist with immigration issues and with I.C.E. detentions at jail and perform immigration background checks on suspected undocumented Latino defendants.

Ability to effectively supervise, direct and monitor assigned probationers to ensure proper completion of probation requirements.

Ability to provide expert testimony in legal proceedings.

Ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing with co-workers, other county departments, probationers and their families, attorneys, victims, community service agencies, counselors, court and law enforcement personnel and the public, including being sensitive to professional ethics, gender, cultural diversities, and disabilities.

Ability to provide public access to or maintain confidentiality of department information and records according to State requirements.

Ability to comply with all employer and department policies and work rules, including, but not limited to, attendance, safety, drug-free workplace and personal conduct.

Ability to operate a variety of office equipment including typewriter, fax, telephone, computer, calculator, and printer.

Ability to work alone and with others in a team environment with minimum supervision, and work on several tasks at the same time, often under time pressure.

Ability to understand, memorize, retain, and carry out written and oral instructions, and present findings in oral or written form.

Ability to occasionally work extended hours, occasionally work weekend and evening hours, and occasionally travel out of town for training, sometimes overnight.

Ability to serve on 24-hour call.

Possession of a valid Indiana driver’s license and demonstrated safe driving record.

II. DIFFICULTY OF WORK:

Incumbent performs a variety of duties which are broad in scope and require application of sound judgment based on education, experience, and training. Daily decisions are frequently based on consideration of many variables and their potential interrelationships. Guidelines are detailed and well-established, requiring independent judgment in adapting to individual cases and situations.

III. RESPONSIBILITY:

Incumbent performs duties according to standard department policies and procedures, and standard practices of the profession, exercising independent judgment in determining disposition of assigned probationers. Incumbent receives general supervision and frequently makes decisions which are restricted only by organization wide policy. Incumbent's work is periodically reviewed for soundness of judgment, attainment of objectives, and compliance with department policies and procedures.

IV. PERSONAL WORK RELATIONSHIPS:

Incumbent maintains frequent contact with co-workers, other county departments, probationers and their families, attorneys, community service agencies, victims, counselors, court and law enforcement personnel, and the public for purposes of exchanging and explaining information and supervising and assisting probationers.

Incumbent reports directly to Chief Probation Officer.

V. PHYSICAL EFFORT AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Incumbent performs majority of duties in an office environment and in a courtroom, involving climbing flights of stairs, lifting/carrying objects weighing less than 25 pounds, close vision, keyboarding, speaking clearly, hearing sound/communication, and exposure to potentially violent/irate individuals. Incumbent occasionally works weekend, evening and/or extended hours, and occasionally travels out of town for training, sometimes overnight. Incumbent responds to emergencies on a 24-hour basis.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $41,107.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Day shift

COVID-19 considerations:
None at this time

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Shelbyville, IN 46176: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)

Education:

• Bachelor's (Required)

Language:

• Spanish (Required)

License/Certification:

• Driver's License (Required)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $41,107 - $-1