CORRECTIONAL COUNSELOR 3 - 03272024-56741

Job Information

LOCATION OF (1) POSITION TO BE FILLED: DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION, WEST TENNESSEE STATE PENITENTIARY, LAUDERDALE COUNTY

Qualifications

1. A valid vehicle operator's license may be required for employment in some positions.

Summary

Responsibilities

1. Calculates sentencing information to determine accuracy of an offender's sentence computation.
2. Verifies that offender sentencing complies with judgment order.
3. Reviews sentence calculations computed by subordinate counseling staff.
4. Completes initial intake packages and/or risk-need assessment for offenders.
5. Reviews intake packages and risk-need assessments compiled by subordinate counseling staff.
6. Prepares, records, and reports on offender history, progress, adjustments, rule violations, recommendations for special visits, and other related statistics.

1. Reviews offender files for various institutional needs.
2. Acts as a board chair during, and participates in, classification and reclassification hearings to review information relevant to offender behavior, program participation, and other factors to determine offender custody levels and programmatic needs and goals.
3. Supervises a case load of up to 165 offenders in an institutional setting.
4. Monitors environment to identify security related concerns in order to assure continued safety of the institution.
5. Monitors offenders to ensure compliance with recommendations and parole board mandates.
6. Monitors subordinate counseling staff in completion of workload assignments.

1. Administers risk-need assessment to offenders using motivational interviewing techniques.
2. Conducts Prison Rape Elimination Act screenings to determine victim or aggressor status.
3. Gathers information relevant to offender history from appropriate agencies and personnel.
4. Interviews offenders to evaluate progress in accomplishing recommendations and parole board mandates.

1. Delivers curriculum using various teaching modalities to accommodate offender learning styles.

1. Develops performance standards and SMART goals for assigned subordinates.
2. Provides performance feedback to subordinate staff.

1. Provides classroom instruction to offenders in a variety of areas, including but not limited to: pro-social life skills, anger management, job readiness, cognitive restructuring, consumer education, and stress management.
2. Prepares curriculum accurately for groups.
3. Presents materials clearly and accurately.

1. Develops workshops for offender reentry and career development.
2. Facilitates workshops for offender reentry and career development.
3. Observes staff performance and provides feedback and coaching on accomplishment of goals and performance standards.

1. Builds and maintains relationships with community-based resources that will assist in offender reentry.

1. Enters or retrieves information concerning offenders using computerized databases daily.
2. Uses web-based programs to communicate with persons inside and outside of the agency concerning offender needs.
3. Uses various computer programs to compile data for weekly reporting.

1. Evaluates all offender records, case notes, and other information to ensure compliance with all applicable standards, laws, policies, rules, and regulations.
2. Compiles documentation to demonstrate compliance with applicable standards, laws, policies, rules, and regulations.

1. Attends various mandated training to enhance job skills and performance.

1. Assists offenders with communicating with persons or agencies outside of the institution to expedite release plans or respond to emergencies.
2. Contacts and counsels with offender family members concerning release.

1. Uses motivational interactions with offenders to realign offender behaviors, thinking, and reactions to conform to facility rules and societal norms.

1. Develops reentry plans for offenders within established time frames and in accordance with departmental policies.
2. Provides counseling specific to the needs of a reentry caseload.
3. Counsels offenders concerning risk of reoffending.
4. Provides information to offenders in regards to community resources and methods of finding and keeping employment and improving family relationships.

1. Provides appropriate interventions in interactions between staff and offenders to resolves issues of conflict.
2. Thoroughly investigates conflicts and complaints according to established timeframes and procedures.
3. Provides information to a review board with other counselors and security staff regarding offenders' segregation status.

1. Collaborates with medical professionals to provide information to offenders regarding advanced directives.
2. Leads individualized or group counseling sessions to assist offenders with adjustment to incarceration.
3. Counsels offenders regarding personal and family issues as needed.
4. Addresses offender mental health and medical needs with appropriate staff.
5. Provides counseling in order to modify offenders' behavior and attitudes, reduces negative behaviors, and help offender adjust to the correctional environment.

1. Identifies issues with offender behavior in order to identify appropriate intervention techniques.
2. Identifies offender movement to ensure caseload accuracy.

1. Acts as lead in making decisions and solving problems related to offender programming and behaviors in the assigned work area.
2. Assists offenders in addressing their concerns regarding job pay, trust fund, sentence information, and educational needs and programs.

1. Schedules outside services to assist with offender transition from prison to the community.
2. Assigns case load to assigned team members or subordinate counselors.

1. Analyzes disciplinary reports to determine offender behavior trends.

1. Records risk-needs assessment interviews for quality assurance.
2. Documents referrals made to offenders regarding outside services.

1. Communicates with other counseling personnel to share knowledge of counseling responsibilities.
2. Communicates with various institutional personnel to meet offender needs.
3. Provides information in treatment team meetings to other team members regarding offenders' progress in programming.
4. Facilitates treatment team meetings regarding offenders' progress based on offender risk-needs assessment.

Competencies

1. Intermediate knowledge of clerical practices
2. Basic knowledge of administration and management
3. Intermediate knowledge of computers with regards to web-based databases, word processing software, email systems, and data entry
4. Customer and personal service
5. Basic knowledge of education and training
6. Basic knowledge of law and government
7. Basic knowledge of mathematics
8. Basic knowledge of psychology with regards to human behavior, performance, individual differences in ability, personality and interests, and learning and motivation
9. Public safety and security
10. Basic knowledge of sociology with regards to group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences
11. Intermediate knowledge of counseling as it pertains to offenders

1. Active learning
2. Active listening
3. Critical thinking
4. Intermediate learning strategies
5. Basic math
6. Basic monitoring
7. Intermediate reading comprehension
8. Advanced speaking
9. Advanced writing with regards to reports
10. Coordination as it relates to offender behavior
11. Intermediate instructing
12. Intermediate negotiation
13. Basic Persuasion
14. Service orientation
15. Social Perceptiveness
16. Judgment and decision making
17. Management of personnel resources
18. Time management

1. Intermediate deductive reasoning
2. Fluency of ideas
3. Inductive reasoning
4. Information ordering as it relates to determining behavior trends
5. Oral comprehension
6. Oral expression
7. Originality
8. Problem sensitivity
9. Selective attention
10. Time sharing
11. Written comprehension
12. Written expression
13. Auditory attention
14. Speech clarity
15. Speech recognition

Tools & Equipment

1. Personal Computer
2. Printer
3. Word Processing Software
4. Electronic/Paper Documents
5. Multi-line Telephone
6. Calculator
7. Copy Machine
8. Fax Machine
9. Digital Recorder
10. 2-Way Radio
11. Keys
12. Lamination Machine
13. Calendar/Planner
14. Files
15. Shredder
16. Lamination Machine