US Probation Officer

Company: US Probation Office
Location: Fort Smith
Posted on: January 11, 2021

Job Description:

POSITION OVERVIEW The United States Probation Office for the Western District of Arkansas is accepting applications for the position of United States Probation Officer (Presentence Investigation). The Western District of Arkansas serves 34 counties located primarily in the western half of the state. The district is headquartered in Fort Smith and has staffed divisional offices in El Dorado, Fayetteville, Hot Springs, and Texarkana. The district has three district judges, one senior judge, and three magistrate judges. Frequent travel within the district is required as is some out of district travel. SUMMARY OF DUTIES • Conducts investigations and prepares reports for the court with recommendations, which requires interviewing offenders and their families, as well as collecting background data from various sources. An integral part of this process is the interpretation and application of policies and procedures, statutes, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedures, and may include U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, monographs, and relevant case law. • Presents presentence report and sentencing recommendations to the court. Response to judicial officer's request for information and advice. • Tracks legal developments and updates staff and the court. Testifies in court as to the basis for factual findings and (if warranted) guidelines applications. Serves as a resource to the court. Maintains detailed written records of case activity. • Analyzes and responds to any objections to the presentence report. This may include resolving disputed issues and presenting unresolved issues to the court for resolution. • Investigates and analyzes financial documents and activities and takes appropriate action. Interviews victims and provides victim impact statements to the court. Ensures compliance with Mandatory Victims Restitution Act. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS • One to two years of specialized experience, which is defined as progressively responsible experience, gained after completion of a bachelor's degree, in such fields as probation, pretrial services, parole, corrections, criminal investigations, or work in substance abuse/addiction treatment. Experience solely as a police officer, custodial, or security officer, other than any criminal investigative experience, is not creditable. • Completion of a Juris Doctor (JD) degree. • Possess excellent written and oral communication, proofing, and grammatical skills. Superior attention to detail. • Ability to interact and communicate effectively (orally and in writing) with individuals of diverse backgrounds including criminal defendants, law enforcement personnel, judicial personnel, and attorneys. • Possess excellent organizational and problem-solving skills and be able to prioritize work schedules, work independently with minimal supervision, and work under pressure with short deadlines while maintaining a positive and professional demeanor. • Ability to exercise discretion, maintain confidentiality, foster high ethical standards, and demonstrate integrity in meeting the district's vision, mission, and goals. • Applicants must have a strong foundation in basic computer functionality and software applications, including Microsoft Office. • Desire to contribute to a positive work environment and work harmoniously with others. • Must be willing to pursue ongoing professional development. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS • Member of the Bar of a state, territory, or federal court of general jurisdiction in good standing is preferred. • Knowledge of federal law and the criminal justice system and how it relates to the roles and functions of a U.S. Probation Officer. • Understanding of the federal sentencing statutes and U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. • Skill in conducting legal research related to complex and difficult legal issues. • Skill in analyzing and summarizing legal concepts and issues. • Bilingual (English/Spanish) BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION A high-sensitive background investigation with law enforcement agencies, including fingerprint and criminal record checks, will be conducted as a condition of employment. Any applicant selected for a position will be hired provisionally pending successful completion of the background investigation. Unsatisfactory results may result in termination of employment. The selected candidate will be subject to updated background investigations every five years. MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS & WORKPLACE DRUG TESTING Prior to appointment, the selectee considered for this position is required to undergo an extensive medical examination and drug screening. Upon successful completion of the medical examination and drug screening, the selectee may then be appointed provisionally, pending a favorable suitability determination by the court. In addition, as a condition of employment, the incumbent will be subject to ongoing random drug screening, and as deemed necessary by management for reasonable cause, may be subject to subsequent fitness-for-duty evaluations. The medical requirements for law enforcement officers are available for public review at www.uscourts.gov. MAXIMUM ENTRY AGE First-time appointees to positions covered under law enforcement officer retirement provisions must not have reached their 37th birthday at the time of appointment. Applicants 37 or over who have previous law enforcement officer experience under Civil Service Retirement System or the Federal Employees' Retirement System and who have either a subsequent break in service or intervening service in a non-law enforcement officer position may have their previous law enforcement experience subtracted from their age to determine whether they meet the maximum age requirement. SPECIALIZED TRAINING Newly appointed officers will be required to attend and successfully complete a six (6) week training course at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Charleston, South Carolina. BENEFITS Judiciary employees are eligible for a full range of benefits such as paid vacation and sick leave, paid holidays, retirement benefits that include a defined contribution program and the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). TSP is a 401(k) equivalent program that includes matching contributions. Additional benefits include health and life insurance, disability and longterm care insurance, dental and vision insurance and a Flexible Benefits Program which includes medical and dependent care reimbursement. Additional benefit information is available at http://www.uscourts.gov/careers/benefits. APPLICATION PROCEDURES Qualified applicants should submit a complete packet which includes: (1) a letter of interest, (2) an 800 word or less essay answering the following question: How did the Supreme Court's United States v. Booker 543 U.S. 220 (2005) decision affect federal sentencing? (3) a current and detailed resume, (4) name, address, and telephone number of three professional references, (5) copy of college transcripts, and (6) a completed Application for Judicial Branch Federal Employment (Form AO78). You may download this form from our website www.arwp.uscourts.gov. Date of birth and undergraduate GPA must be reported on the application form. Incomplete packets will not be considered. Applicant materials submitted in addition to the required documents will not be considered or retained. Attachments must be saved as a single PDF file. Please reference the vacancy announcement number in the subject of the email. Email your complete packet to: heather_burns@arwp.uscourts.gov. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION • Applicants must be United States citizens or eligible to work in the United States. • Applicants selected for interviews must travel at their own expense. Relocation expenses will not be reimbursed. • Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) for payroll deposit is required. • Employees are required to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees, which is available upon request. • Preliminary criminal history background check, verification of employment and education, and reference checks will be made prior to any offer of employment. • The court reserves the right to modify the conditions of this job announcement, withdraw the announcement, or fill the position at any time before the closing date. Multiple vacancies may be filled from this announcement. • The Court provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities in accordance with the American with Disabilities Act. If you need a reasonable accommodation, please notify Human Resources. The decision on granting reasonable accommodations will be made on a case-by-case basis. The United States Probation Office for the Western District of Arkansas is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity in the workplace

recblid q6v9awrw2u80osiq06rib3l7vx589j

Keywords: US Probation Office, Fort Smith , US Probation Officer, Other , Fort Smith, Arkansas