Pretrial Service Officer - Hamilton County

The Office of Statewide Pretrial Services’ (OSPS or Office) is a statewide office that provides pretrial services under the Pretrial Services Act, 725 ILCS 185. The Office’s mission is to assist in the administration of justice and promote community safety by ensuring fairness and equality in the pretrial process. OSPS prepares pretrial investigation reports for the courts and supervises individuals released from custody as directed by the court.

The Pretrial Services Officer prepares reports and provides pretrial supervision to individuals arrested on criminal charges. The Pretrial Services Officer works under the direction of a Pretrial Supervisor and general supervision of a Region Chief within the Division of Field Operations. The current shifts available are as follows:

Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM

*Shift will be determined to fit operational needs of the court which may include working weekends.

BENEFITS:
An attractive judicial branch benefits package is offered, including pension, medical, dental, vision and life insurance, as well as deferred compensation and generous leave time.
Click Here for State Employee General Benefits
Click Here for OSPS Summary of Benefits

ESSENTIAL DUTIES: The Pretrial Services Officer prepares pretrial reports and provides pretrial supervision to individuals arrested on criminal charges. The Pretrial Services Officer works under the direction of a Pretrial Supervisor and general supervision Region Chief within the Division of Field Operations.

FUNCTIONS INCLUDE:
• Completes pretrial assessments for defendants arrested on criminal charges.
• Interviews and assembles information and data concerning employment, residency, criminal record, and social background of arrested persons.
• Collects records of criminal history and failure to appear history through electronic judicial case management systems, pretrial case management systems, LEADS/NCIC and other sources.
• Verifies and documents information collected from defendants through collateral contacts to ensure accuracy and completeness of pretrial reports.
• Prepares and files with the court pretrial reports including a pretrial assessment, social background information, criminal history, specific recommendations based on assessed risk and status updates on the defendant’s compliance with pretrial conditions.
• Attends and testifies at court hearings where the status of defendant’s pretrial release or conditions are determined, reviewed or evaluated, modified, or stricken.
• Administers pretrial intakes and monitors defendant’s compliance with pretrial conditions through regular, documented, contact with defendants in person, by telephone, text message, email, or virtually.
• Refers clients on pretrial supervision to appropriate services and maintains regular contact with referral sources.
• Observes, collects and processes drug and alcohol testing samples.
• Assists the Electronic Monitoring Unit by installing, removing and retrieving electronic equipment.
• Informs the court, state’s attorney and public defender of noncompliance with conditions of pretrial supervision.
• Provides written notification to defendants of court appearances by letter, email or text message.
• Oversees inventory of drug tests, electronic monitoring equipment, personal protective equipment and other supervision materials located in the county.
• Attends OSPS pretrial services trainings and maintains a working knowledge of state laws and national standards pertaining to pretrial services.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
Minimum Qualifications:

1. A Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited institution.
2. Ability to be LEADS (Law Enforcement Agencies Data System) certified.
3. Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office products (i.e., Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Outlook).
4. Must possess a valid Illinois Driver’s License and demonstrate proof of automobile insurance to operate a personal vehicle on state business, as well as maintain a safe driving record.

Preferred Qualifications:

1. Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice or a social services related field from an accredited institution.
2. Master’s Degree from an accredited institution.
3. Two or more years professional working experience in a public or private organization.
4. Two or more years of professional working experience within the criminal justice system including community corrections, law enforcement, law, or trial court administration.
5. Two or more years providing social services, such as mental health or substance abuse treatment, to justice involved individuals.
6. One year of experience in pretrial services.
   
7. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
8. Ability to positively and professionally interact with co-workers.

OTHER KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/ABILITIES:
• Effective oral and written communication, presentation, facilitation, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to plan, organize, implement, and maintain a variety of functions and projects simultaneously and meet required deadlines and schedules.
• Ability to positively and professionally interact with co-workers.
• Demonstrated leadership skills including planning and priority setting, sound decision-making, problem-solving, and analytic and interpretive skills.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

1. Ability to sit for extended time periods.
2. Normal office working environment requiring telephone usage and ability to process written documents.
3. Travel within Illinois required.

HOW TO APPLY:
Interested individuals should submit a resume and cover letter through the form below.


An OSPS Job Application is not required to apply, but it will be required before final hiring decisions are made. The application can be downloaded from the Join our Team website:

OFFICE OF STATEWIDE PRETRIAL SERVICES APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT

Any questions about this position or the application process can also be submitted via email at the following address: [email protected] .

The Office of Statewide Pretrial Services (OSPS) does not provide sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g. H-1B visa status), nor is OSPS able to provide extensions of optional practical training (OPT) under the STEM-designated degree program for F-1 students. To be considered for permanent employment with OSPS, applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER