Inmate Services Associate

The Position

Incumbent works under the direction of the Manager, Records and Accounting or designee performing a variety of clerical and administrative duties associated with inmate services.

Essential Functions

• Collect and process inmate mail in both physical and electronic formats.
• Collect, sort, and deliver incoming and outgoing department mail/packages.
• Provide notary services for inmates and the department.
• Record and verify monies received by mail for inmates.
• Assist with scheduling, facilitating, and troubleshooting virtual communication meetings between inmates and outside agencies, typically virtual court conferences.
• Establish and maintain effective work relationships with inmates, supervisors, County employees, eleced officials, attorneys, law enforcement, judges, other agencies and the public.
• Comply with Civil Service policies and regulations, collective bargaining agreements, County policies, department policies and laws to create a cooperative, safe, respectful and quality work environment.
• Adhere to procedures protocols, and legal requirements (e.g. record retention, special handling).
• Ensure inmate's virtual meetings follow established guidelines and regulations, and inmate's rights are maintained.
• Keep secure, organize, and maintain files/documents/records in various formats.
• Assist with responses to inmate correspondence requests and/or disseminate requests to appropriate areas for processing.
• Process inmate documents daily (e.g. filing, collection, preparation, scanning).
• Process documents and communication requests (e.g. correspondence with inmates confined at other correctional facilities) for other agencies.
• Assist with preparation and maintenance for electronic file storage.
• Provide originals/copies of records to authorized agencies and personnel.
• Disclose information to the public, attorneys, and law enforcement agencies upon authorization.
• Store and retrieve inmate files and property from secure storage utilizing necessary equipment.
• Prepare informational reports (e.g. suspicious inmate communications).
• Provide training to staff members (e.g. new staff).
• Cooperate with law enforcement and staff.
• Answer phone calls; provide information regarding department policies, public information, and/or inmate status or transfer calls.
• Report to work with regular, consistent attendance.
• Perform other duties as directed and assigned.

Education and Work Experience and Other Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent required.*
• One (1) year of clerical or customer service experience required.*
• Experience using Microsoft Office preferred.
• Experience working in a correctional facility or law enforcement agency preferred.
• Nebraska notary upon hire or within six (6) months of employment required.
• Experience providing notary service preferred.
• Completion of a pre-employment criminal record check and conditional offer drug screen, physical assessment, and medical review required.
• *Equivalent combination of education and work experience may be substituted for requirements on a year-for-year basis.

Physical Requirements & Working Conditions

• The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Work is performed in an office within a correctional facility. Noise level is usually moderate. Work is generally performed on an assigned shift supporting a 24x7 operation; however schedules will occasionally vary (e.g. days, hours, holidays, additional hours/overtime). Work may be stressful when dealing with multiple/changing priorities, time constraints, or uncooperative/irate persons.
• Work requires physical activity including extended periods of walking, standing, frequent reaching, occasional climbing, carrying, balancing, kneeling, crouching and bending. Incumbents must have the ability to frequently lift and/or carry objects weighing up to 75 pounds.
• Required sensory abilities include vision, hearing and touch. Visual abilities correctable to normal ranges include close, distance and color vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. Communication abilities include the ability to talk and hear within normal ranges. Incumbents must possess the hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity necessary to operate computers and other equipment.

Douglas County is an EOE - Disability/Veterans