Probation Officer

PROBATION OFFICER, States of Guernsey

£53,271.00 - £61,707.00 per annum

JOB DESCRIPTION

JOB SUMMARY:

Probation Officers are the operational staff of the Probation Service having the one-to-one contact with offenders to assess, monitor and provide therapeutic interventions to reduce and manage offending behaviour.

The main purpose of the post of Probation Officer is to:

• Provide the Courts with quality information and assessment to assist in sentencing decisions.
• Supervise offenders in the community to reduce crime and so protect the public.
• Prepare prisoners for release and resettlement into the community.
• Work with offenders and deliver interventions to address factors that increase their likelihood of re-offending, including attitudes, thinking and behaviour.
• Manage high risk potentially dangerous offenders including violent and sexual offenders.

Given the nature of the work, the post requires flexible working which may include full or part time secondment to the Offender Management Unit at the Prison.

GOVERNANCE RESPONSIBILITIES / RELATIONSHIPS:

Whilst Probation Officers have responsibility to manage their own workload, they will have regular supervision with a Senior Probation Officer. The post requires the successful establishment and maintenance of a number of key professional relationships, including within the Committee for Home Affairs, the Judiciary, Law Officers, Advocates, Prison, Police, Court staff and Child Services, as well as within the Probation team.

Close links are also maintained with local voluntary and partner agencies that have a role to play in the management of offenders, victims, and witnesses.

MAIN AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY:

• To assess individuals' offending behaviour, develop proposals for sentences and prepare reports to advise the Courts on criminogenic profiles of offenders, interventions required to reduce likelihood of re-offending, and the management of risk.

• To represent the Service in criminal Courts and give advice to the Courts as requested.

• To supervise, manage and enforce supervision orders imposed by the Courts to reduce offending behaviour and protect the public.

• To enable offenders (in the prison and the community) to develop strategies for changing their offending behaviour by co-ordinating and delivering cognitive behavioural and other interventions to reduce offending behaviour, including in areas such as Intimate Partner Violence and Abuse, Sexual and Violent offending and substance misuse.

• To take the lead in the management of potentially dangerous sexual and violent offenders through the Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) system in partnership with Senior Officers of Police, Prison, and other statutory and non-statutory bodies.

• To implement and monitor rehabilitation and resettlement plans for prisoners; to enforce compliance with post custodial supervision requirements and manage risk for the protection of the community. This will include the provision of reports, assessments and recommendations to the Parole Review Committee regarding suitability for early release.

• To provide specialist information and peer supervision on areas of specialism such as mentally disordered offenders, young offenders, sexual or violent offenders and intimate partner violence and abuse perpetrators.

• To demonstrate defensible decision making in management of offenders, and evidence such through maintenance of comprehensive assessments and records.

• To contact victims of serious crime in line with Victim Contact legislation and guidance.

• To develop and sustain effective working relationships with staff, both within and outside of the Probation Service, with the primary aim of reducing re-offending and protecting the public.

Please note that Officers will only be able to progress to the EGV grade once they have demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Chief Probation Officer that they have been performing the whole range of duties within the Guernsey Probation Service at a high level for at least 2 years.

KEY CRITERIA:

ESSENTIAL

1. Relevant Professional Qualification (i.e. Degree level Dip. SW, Probation Qualification, or CQSW) with a willingness to undergo and pass Criminal Justice/Probation modular study if deemed necessary.

2. Experience of working within the Criminal Justice system and a sound working knowledge of relevant legislation as well as alignment with the purpose of the Probation Service.

3. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills that demonstrate the ability to form and promote mutually respectful working relationships with Courts, clients, staff, and other agencies.

4. Report writing skills with experience in providing analysis of offending behaviour, risk assessment, and making recommendations for interventions.

5. Ability to formulate, implement, review, and enforce sentence and supervision planning in prison and in the community.

6. Evidence of the ability to motivate and encourage offenders, and to deliver offending behaviour work to reduce risk of further offending.

7. Proven knowledge and expertise in assessment and management of risk and ability to take the lead in the management of potentially dangerous, sexual, and violent offenders.

8. Self-motivated and well organised with ability to prioritise own workload and meet deadlines whilst working independently, but also flexibly as part of a team.

9. An understanding of and commitment to equal opportunities and diversity best practice.

DESIRABLE

A working knowledge of legislation under which the Guernsey Probation Service has statutory responsibilities.

KEY COMPETENCIES / BEHAVIOURS:

On appointment, the post holder should be operating at or working towards the States of Guernsey Competency Framework as follows:

For EGIII - Post holders will need to demonstrate that they meet the competencies at Level 2.

For EGIV & EGV - Post holders will need to demonstrate that they meet the competencies at Level 3.