US Pretrial Services Officer

Summary

U.S. Pretrial Services Officers serve in a judiciary law enforcement position and assist in the administration of justice and promote community safety, gather information, supervise offenders/defendants, interact with collateral agencies, prepare reports, conduct investigations, and present recommendations to the court.

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Duties

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• Conducts investigations and verifies background information concerning persons charged with a federal offense when they are arrested or summoned to court.
• Evaluates information and prepares reports for the judge prior to the initial hearing with assessment of non-appearance and danger to community. A recommendation regarding bail and/or release of a defendant is included in the report.
• Supervises defendants who are released with supervision conditions.
• Notifies the court and the U.S. Attorney of any violations.
• Develops a supervision plan and maintains a detailed record of case activity.
• Travel and contacts are conducted in unsafe neighborhoods where crime may occur.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

Applicants must be a U.S. Citizen or eligible to work in the United States. A written examination will be provided to qualified applicants. New Officers are required to attend a six-week training academy at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Charleston, South Carolina.

Prior to appointment, the selectee considered for this position will undergo a medical examination and drug screening. Upon successful completion of the medical and drug screening, the selectee may then be provisionally appointed. At such time, the incumbent will undergo an extensive Office of Personnel Management (OPM) background investigation. In addition, the incumbent will be subject to ongoing random drug screening, updated background investigations every five years, or as deemed necessary by management for reasonable cause, and may be subject to subsequent fitness-for-duty evaluations.

First time appointees to positions covered under law enforcement retirement provisions must not have reached their 37th birthday. Applicants aged 37 or over, who have previous federal law enforcement officer experience under Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or the Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS), 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 requirements.

Qualifications

For placement above the starting salary of $60,595, the successful applicant must have at least one to three years of specialized experience in fields such as pretrial services, probation, corrections, criminal investigations, or work in substance/addiction or mental health treatment. The successful applicant must possess excellent written and oral communication skills.

Education

Applicants must have completed a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in a field of academic study, such as criminal justice, criminology, psychology, sociology, human relations, education, or business or public administration, which provides evidence of the capacity to understand and apply the legal requirements and human relations skills involved in the position.

Other preferred skills may include the earning of a master's degree in a closely related field, fluency in a foreign language (Mandarin or Spanish preferred but not required), and/or advanced knowledge of computer systems and technology.

Additional information

Due to the volume of applications received, the U.S. Pretrial Services Office will only contact those individuals who are invited for personal interviews.

Pretrial Services does not reimburse candidates for the interview or relocation expenses.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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