The U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Office, Central District of California, is seeking an exceptional individual for our Los Angeles CASA Courts Officer / Special Offender Specialist position. Subsequent to the conclusion of the interview process, a ranked list of qualified candidates will be established for selecting a CASA Courts Officer/Special Offender Specialist. The qualified list of ranked candidates will expire 180 days following its creation. Candidates selected to be ranked will be notified by a member of the Court’s Human Resources Office.
The Central District of California serves seven counties and has 28 authorized district judgeships, 12 senior judges, and 24 magistrate judges. The Probation and Pretrial Services Office consists of more than 280 employees spread among 11 office locations. Staff includes probation and pretrial services officers and clerical support positions. The workload in the district entails supervision of over 10,000 defendants, probationers, parolees, and persons on supervised release and the preparation of approximately 3,000 presentence investigations annually.
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
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Represent Probation and Pretrial Services in CASA courts as a liaison with District and Magistrate Judges, United States Attorney’s Office, and the Federal Public Defender Office while effectively providing services to defendants within the program.
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Supervise high-risk defendants with specialized needs and monitor their compliance with release conditions in the coverage area as assigned.
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Implement district’s substance abuse and mental health policies in the supervision of defendants.
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Determine appropriate treatment levels for defendants.
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Work closely with collateral sources, including contract and non-contract vendors.
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Assist in developing policies and proposals to provide needed aftercare services.
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Identify and evaluate available resources.
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Assist with monitoring and site visits.
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Assist officers and be a resource to them in the supervision of substance abuse, mental health, and other high-risk specialized cases, and with correct completion of paperwork, including referrals to aftercare vendors and CSM.
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Assist in the training of other officers, staff, and interns.
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Provide consultation to judges and attorneys concerning aftercare programs.
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Serve as liaison in specialized areas to other court units and the public.
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Facilitate MRT group(s).
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Organize group community service events and/or verify community service participation.
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Assist in the recruitment and vetting of prospective CASA applicants.
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Maintain statistical data for CASA applicants in Pacts.
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Participate in various trainings (in and out of district) to stay current on various trends related to the collaborative courts’ process and controlled substances in the community.
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Other duties as assigned
Applicants for the position must have a minimum of three years federal probation and/or pretrial services experience, including at least one year as a CL 28 probation/pretrial services officer. Broad knowledge of the criminal justice system and thorough knowledge of federal probation and pretrial services requirements, policies, and procedures. Thorough knowledge of specialized areas, including the district’s substance abuse and mental health policies, testing and treatment issues, and expert knowledge of resources available. Thorough knowledge of the application of evidence-based practices. Substantial experience developing court correspondence and attending violation hearings. Experience supervising substance abuse, mental health, and other high-risk cases. The successful applicant must have strong skills in verbal communication, conflict management, time management, project management, problem solving, showing initiative, working independently, cultivating teamwork, professional ethics, thinking creatively, analyzing information, and making recommendations. Additionally, the successful applicant must be able to handle multiple demanding tasks simultaneously, including tasks related to court, fieldwork, paperwork, and defendant needs. Ability to interview persons with various backgrounds, their families, and others in the community to obtain the information. Ability to discern deception, appropriately confront defendants, and act accordingly. Ability to work under deadlines. Ability to write concisely and clearly. Completion of the district’s substance abuse and mental health training programs is preferred but not required. If not previously completed, you must be willing to complete the training program when it is next offered. Must be able to demonstrate an interest and willingness to stay current on issues of substance abuse and mental health technology/therapies/pharmaceuticals, testing, and treatment. If not trained as a facilitator in Moral Reconation Therapy (MRT), one must be willing to complete the training program when it is next offered. Once trained, one must facilitate the program independently or with a co-facilitator through various mediums and timeframes conducive with the CASA Court schedule. This position is considered a federal law enforcement position with hazardous duty, requiring irregular work hours, including early morning, nights, weekends, and holidays. The probation and pretrial services office reserves the right to transfer and/or reclassify this position based on future agency needs. The selected applicant may not request an intra-district transfer for a minimum of two years from the effective date of appointment. This position is subject to a one-year probationary period, which may be extended at the discretion of the Chief U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Officer.
In addition to salary, the federal government’s benefits equate to no less than 33% of an employee’s total compensation (see Total Compensation sample below). Federal employees are entitled to federal benefits such as health, dental, vision, life insurance, long-term disability insurance, long-term care insurance and flexible spending accounts. Participation in a defined benefit plan the Federal Employees Retirement System-Further Revised Annuity Employee (FERS-FRAE), and up to 5% matching contributions on retirement savings through the Thrift Savings Plan (401k equivalent). Generous accrual of paid time vacation and sick leave and 11 paid holidays per year. Paid parental leave after meeting eligibility requirements. Eligible for the Public Student Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program on eligible student loans. Commuter subsidies for public transportation to and from work. Extensive online training options and in-person training and professional conferences, funds permitting.
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Employer Provided Benefits - Total Compensation Approximation Sample (For Illustration Purposes Only) |
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Sample Annual Salary |
$ 60,000.00 |
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Retirement Benefits |
$ 17,760.00 |
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Health/Life Insurance & Commuter Reimbursement |
$ 15,494.00 |
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Paid Time-Off (Holidays & Accrued Leave) |
$ 8,538.00 |
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Total Compensation |
$101,792.00 |
Must be a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident with authorization to work in the United States who is currently seeking U.S. citizenship or intending to become a U.S. citizen immediately after meeting the eligibility requirements. As a condition of employment, the successful candidate is required to undergo an FBI background check. The Federal Financial Reform Act requires direct deposit of federal wages for employees. The United States District Court and the Probation and Pretrial Services Office requires employees to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Federal Judicial Employees, which is available on the Court’s website: www.cacd.uscourts.gov.
Law Enforcement Officer Classification
The position is classified as law enforcement by statute. As a condition of employment, incumbents will be subject to ongoing random and reasonable suspicion drug screenings, updated background investigations every five years and as deemed necessary by management for reasonable cause, may be subject to subsequent fitness-for-duty evaluations. At the Chief Probation and Pretrial Services Officer's discretion, the most recent reinvestigation report completed on behalf of the applicant may be requested.
Applications should be submitted to apply_CACD@cacd.uscourts.gov. Documents must be in Microsoft Word or PDF format, and the email should reference vacancy number #25-31. Complete applications must include the following:
- Cover Letter – Address how your background, skills, and experience meet the qualifications listed
- Resume – Include key career accomplishments
- Two (2) Most Recent Performance Evaluations
- For External Applicants Only: An application for Federal Branch Employment (AO78) (please visit the Court’s website at www.cacd.uscourts.gov to download the AO78 application form).
This recruitment is for a position considered “high-sensitive.” To determine suitability for the position, applicants must provide criminal history information on the Federal Judicial Branch Application for Employment (AO78). Therefore, all questions requesting criminal history information must be answered even if identified as optional. This requirement also applies to any other employment-related forms when requested. Due to the volume of applications received, the Court will only communicate with those individuals who will be interviewed. Applicants scheduled to interview should advise the Human Resources staff if any accommodation will be necessary to interview. Unfortunately, the Court is unable to reimburse applicants for any travel or parking costs.
The Court reserves the right to modify the conditions of this announcement, commence interviews immediately, withdraw the announcement, or fill the position at any time, any of which actions may occur without notice.