Release Assistance Officer (Court Release Officer)

Summary

Release Assistance Officer (Court Release Officer)

Interviews: Due to the high volume of applications we receive, it may take several weeks after the application deadline for us to schedule interviews.

Oregon Judicial Department (OJD) serves the public, and the people we serve may be facing challenging life circumstances, high levels of stress, or confusion about their next steps. The work you will do in this role affects members of our community who come to the court to have their cases resolved. We need people who want to impact their communities, value OJD's efforts to remove barriers to access justice services, and welcome interacting with the public.

We are committed to building a diverse, inclusive team and encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply. We consider relevant work experience, education, and any transferable skills and abilities that may meet our qualifications or the skills and attributes we need for this position. We welcome all candidates who are inspired by our work and mission.

Benefits to You

• We pay 95% to 99% of medical insurance premiums for full-time employees, including mental health coverage.
• 10 paid holidays, 2 floating holidays, 3 personal business days, separate sick and vacation paid leaves (prorated for part-time employees), and other employee benefits such as optional insurances and flexible spending plans.
• OJD will pay you a 5% allowance for bilingual skills (includes ASL) if you can pass a skills test and are assigned to use those skills on the job.
• In this job profile, we offer candidates new to OJD up to the fourth step of the salary range, depending on experience. You are potentially eligible for a 5% annual increase.

Position Highlights

The Washington County Circuit Court in Hillsboro, Oregon, is hiring a Court Release Officer (Release Assistance Officer) to join the Pretrial Release Program team at the Washington County Law Enforcement Center.

In this role, you will interview adults in custody, make pretrial release recommendations, and manage release agreements. You will conduct research and prepare reports for judges about adults in custody who are ineligible for release. You will perform criminal history checks, verify case information, review intake and booking information, and gather victim input. You will also complete risk assessments, determine eligibility for court appointed counsel, notify victims, and monitor defendants' compliance with the conditions of their release.

You will be a resource to judges in criminal hearings, arraignments, release hearings, and pretrial conferences, and you will occasionally attend court to testify about recommendations for release, revocations of release, and other matters as needed. You will identify cases to be added to dockets. You will also perform administrative work related to pretrial release, which includes scheduling hearings, preparing new files, updating case information, and reviewing court orders.

Additionally, you will answer questions about pretrial release decisions, release statuses, court procedures, conditions of release, and future court appearances. You will interact with judges, court staff, law enforcement agencies, defense attorneys, district attorney staff, parole and probation officers, sheriff's office and jail staff, other criminal justice and community partners, and the public. The support you provide will be in person at the customer service counter, over the phone, and through email.

Assigned tasks may be changed to accommodate workload and organizational needs.

Instructions for REQUIRED Cover Letter and Work History/Resume

Your cover letter and work history/resume should demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications, the Special Qualifications, and the Requested Skills and Attributes, which are listed below.

Cover Letter (REQUIRED)

• Attach your cover letter (not to exceed two pages) in the Resume/Cover Letter section of the application. Your cover letter and filename should include your name.
• Address the cover letter "To the Hiring Manager."
• In the body of your cover letter, please include responses to all Requested Skills and Attributes listed below.
• Do not use a generic cover letter; please personalize your cover letter for this position. We read every letter.
• Prepare your cover letter before starting your Workday application.

Work History/Resume (REQUIRED)

• Attach your updated resume in the Resume/Cover Letter section of the application. Your resume and filename should include your name. OR
• Complete the Job History/Work Experience portion of your Workday profile if you are not using an updated resume.

Failure to follow these instructions may result in rejection of your application. All application materials will be evaluated for consistency of information, and your letter will be evaluated for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and language use in addition to demonstrated experience.

The application deadline is 11:59 p.m. on the date listed above.

Minimum Qualifications

(These must be evident in your resume or work history.)

The qualified candidate must have a bachelor's degree in business or public administration, behavioral or social/human services, or a closely related field.

OR

Four (4) years of experience in criminal justice or a court environment.

OR

Any combination of education and experience equivalent to four (4) years of experience that typically supports the knowledge, skills, and abilities for the position.

Special Qualifications

(These must be verifiable.)

The qualified candidate must have Law Enforcement Data System (LEDS) certification or have the ability to obtain certification within six (6) months of hire. Eligibility requirements for obtaining LEDS certification are available here.

Requested Skills and Attributes

(These must be addressed in your cover letter.)

• Experience conducting interviews to obtain personal or financial information.
• Experience communicating calmly and effectively, orally and in writing, with people in emotionally charged and stressful situations.
• Experience communicating decisions regarding the approval or denial of benefits or services and the explanation of laws, rules, or regulations.
• Experience using a computer to access and input information and complete work.
• Experience working in a court, criminal justice, corrections, or other legal environment.
• Bilingual English/Spanish proficiency is preferred but not required.

Working Conditions

• This is a full-time position, and the team provides services Sunday through Saturday, 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. This position may be required to work days, nights, weekends, holidays, and a combination of shifts on a rotational basis. This position is eligible for overtime compensation for hours worked in excess of 40 per workweek.
• Occasional after-hours or overtime work may be required.
• This unit is co-located with the sheriff in a correctional facility (jail) setting, and the work is performed in a court, court detention facility, or jail as needed. This position may be subject to jail safety protocols such as lockdowns or carrying a personal duress alarm. The work in jail facilities is typically with in-custody defendants, and there may be high and prolonged levels of noise. The person in this position must have a tolerance to the stress associated with interacting with people who are charged with violent/sexual offenses and people who are hostile, abusive, confused, or frustrated.
• Frequent phone and in-person contact with people from diverse backgrounds.
• Frequent phone and in-person contact with people who may be facing challenging life circumstances, highly stressful situations, or trauma.
• This position works alone (without direct supervision) and as part of a team (with direct supervision).
• There is a high volume of work that requires long periods of sitting at a computer and using the telephone.
• Regular use of the following equipment: telephone, OJD-assigned computer with multiple monitors, copy machine, fax machine, and scanner.

Additional Information

Criminal Background Check Finalists for this position will be subject to an extensive background investigation. The successful candidate must meet all applicable background and criminal history checks and be of good moral character. Moral character is defined as possessing the attributes of empathy, courage, fortitude, honesty, loyalty, and additional virtues deemed to be morally good.

Adverse results are evaluated on a case-by-case basis and may result in disqualification if the circumstances are directly related to the duties and responsibilities of the position.

Reference Checks

By submitting your application to OJD, you consent to reference checks about your qualifications, your workplace performance, and your work product.

United States Employment Eligibility OJD does not offer visa sponsorships. Within three days of hire, you will be required to complete

Job Description

Release Assistance Officer (Court Release Officer)

Interviews: Due to the high volume of applications we receive, it may take several weeks after the application deadline for us to schedule interviews.

Oregon Judicial Department (OJD) serves the public, and the people we serve may be facing challenging life circumstances, high levels of stress, or confusion about their next steps. The work you will do in this role affects members of our community who come to the court to have their cases resolved. We need people who want to impact their communities, value OJD's efforts to remove barriers to access justice services, and welcome interacting with the public.

We are committed to building a diverse, inclusive team and encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply. We consider relevant work experience, education, and any transferable skills and abilities that may meet our qualifications or the skills and attributes we need for this position. We welcome all candidates who are inspired by our work and mission.

Benefits to You

• We pay 95% to 99% of medical insurance premiums for full-time employees, including mental health coverage.
• 10 paid holidays, 2 floating holidays, 3 personal business days, separate sick and vacation paid leaves (prorated for part-time employees), and other employee benefits such as optional insurances and flexible spending plans.
• OJD will pay you a 5% allowance for bilingual skills (includes ASL) if you can pass a skills test and are assigned to use those skills on the job.
• In this job profile, we offer candidates new to OJD up to the fourth step of the salary range, depending on experience. You are potentially eligible for a 5% annual increase.

Position Highlights

The Washington County Circuit Court in Hillsboro, Oregon, is hiring a Court Release Officer (Release Assistance Officer) to join the Pretrial Release Program team at the Washington County Law Enforcement Center.

In this role, you will interview adults in custody, make pretrial release recommendations, and manage release agreements. You will conduct research and prepare reports for judges about adults in custody who are ineligible for release. You will perform criminal history checks, verify case information, review intake and booking information, and gather victim input. You will also complete risk assessments, determine eligibility for court appointed counsel, notify victims, and monitor defendants' compliance with the conditions of their release.

You will be a resource to judges in criminal hearings, arraignments, release hearings, and pretrial conferences, and you will occasionally attend court to testify about recommendations for release, revocations of release, and other matters as needed. You will identify cases to be added to dockets. You will also perform administrative work related to pretrial release, which includes scheduling hearings, preparing new files, updating case information, and reviewing court orders.

Additionally, you will answer questions about pretrial release decisions, release statuses, court procedures, conditions of release, and future court appearances. You will interact with judges, court staff, law enforcement agencies, defense attorneys, district attorney staff, parole and probation officers, sheriff's office and jail staff, other criminal justice and community partners, and the public. The support you provide will be in person at the customer service counter, over the phone, and through email.

Assigned tasks may be changed to accommodate workload and organizational needs.

Instructions for REQUIRED Cover Letter and Work History/Resume

Your cover letter and work history/resume should demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications, the Special Qualifications, and the Requested Skills and Attributes, which are listed below.

Cover Letter (REQUIRED)

• Attach your cover letter (not to exceed two pages) in the Resume/Cover Letter section of the application. Your cover letter and filename should include your name.
• Address the cover letter "To the Hiring Manager."
• In the body of your cover letter, please include responses to all Requested Skills and Attributes listed below.
• Do not use a generic cover letter; please personalize your cover letter for this position. We read every letter.
• Prepare your cover letter before starting your Workday application.

Work History/Resume (REQUIRED)

• Attach your updated resume in the Resume/Cover Letter section of the application. Your resume and filename should include your name. OR
• Complete the Job History/Work Experience portion of your Workday profile if you are not using an updated resume.

Failure to follow these instructions may result in rejection of your application. All application materials will be evaluated for consistency of information, and your letter will be evaluated for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and language use in addition to demonstrated experience.

The application deadline is 11:59 p.m. on the date listed above.

Minimum Qualifications

(These must be evident in your resume or work history.)

The qualified candidate must have a bachelor's degree in business or public administration, behavioral or social/human services, or a closely related field.

OR

Four (4) years of experience in criminal justice or a court environment.

OR

Any combination of education and experience equivalent to four (4) years of experience that typically supports the knowledge, skills, and abilities for the position.

Special Qualifications

(These must be verifiable.)

The qualified candidate must have Law Enforcement Data System (LEDS) certification or have the ability to obtain certification within six (6) months of hire. Eligibility requirements for obtaining LEDS certification are available here.

Requested Skills and Attributes

(These must be addressed in your cover letter.)

• Experience conducting interviews to obtain personal or financial information.
• Experience communicating calmly and effectively, orally and in writing, with people in emotionally charged and stressful situations.
• Experience communicating decisions regarding the approval or denial of benefits or services and the explanation of laws, rules, or regulations.
• Experience using a computer to access and input information and complete work.
• Experience working in a court, criminal justice, corrections, or other legal environment.
• Bilingual English/Spanish proficiency is preferred but not required.

Working Conditions

• This is a full-time position, and the team provides services Sunday through Saturday, 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. This position may be required to work days, nights, weekends, holidays, and a combination of shifts on a rotational basis. This position is eligible for overtime compensation for hours worked in excess of 40 per workweek.
• Occasional after-hours or overtime work may be required.
• This unit is co-located with the sheriff in a correctional facility (jail) setting, and the work is performed in a court, court detention facility, or jail as needed. This position may be subject to jail safety protocols such as lockdowns or carrying a personal duress alarm. The work in jail facilities is typically with in-custody defendants, and there may be high and prolonged levels of noise. The person in this position must have a tolerance to the stress associated with interacting with people who are charged with violent/sexual offenses and people who are hostile, abusive, confused, or frustrated.
• Frequent phone and in-person contact with people from diverse backgrounds.
• Frequent phone and in-person contact with people who may be facing challenging life circumstances, highly stressful situations, or trauma.
• This position works alone (without direct supervision) and as part of a team (with direct supervision).
• There is a high volume of work that requires long periods of sitting at a computer and using the telephone.
• Regular use of the following equipment: telephone, OJD-assigned computer with multiple monitors, copy machine, fax machine, and scanner.

Additional Information

Criminal Background Check Finalists for this position will be subject to an extensive background investigation. The successful candidate must meet all applicable background and criminal history checks and be of good moral character. Moral character is defined as possessing the attributes of empathy, courage, fortitude, honesty, loyalty, and additional virtues deemed to be morally good.

Adverse results are evaluated on a case-by-case basis and may result in disqualification if the circumstances are directly related to the duties and responsibilities of the position.

Reference Checks

By submitting your application to OJD, you consent to reference checks about your qualifications, your workplace performance, and your work product.

United States Employment Eligibility OJD does not offer visa sponsorships. Within three days of hire, you will be required to complete