Court Referral Officer na City of Tuscaloosa, AL

About the Department

This position reports directly to the Court Referral Officer, Senior. The Court Referral Program is managed by the Municipal Court Judge and the Municipal Court Administrator. Ensures quality and continuity of services in the Alabama Court Referral Program. Provides each client, judge, and court with a qualified person

Position Duties

The following duties are normal for this classification.  The omission of specific duties does not exclude them from the classification if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment for this classification.   Other duties may be required and assigned.  Specific duties listed may not be required for all positions within this classification but are determined by the normal requirements for the particular position.

Implements and adheres to the Administrative Office of Court’s (AOC) Operational Screening Criteria uniform guidelines for evaluation, referral and placement, drug testing and monitoring protocols.

Attends court dockets to screen defendants assigned to the program by the Municipal Court Judge.

Manages telephone calls related to appointments and rescheduling.

Enters and reviews data in the MIDAS software.

Evaluates each defendant through interviews, instruments, and procedures approved by AOC.

Conducts drug screens on all clients on a random basis, records and reports drug screening results to the Court and the judge.

Collects fees from clients and reports activity daily.

Attends court dockets to review and report clients’ compliance with the program and the requirements of the sentencing order.

Scans and files reports into the Court’s records for review and compliance.

Recommends appropriate court referral services such as Level I, Level II, and Level III programs and serves as liaison to representatives of court referral programs.

Develops and maintains electronic files on each offender with information such as arrest records, test scores, and other pertinent information which could be utilized by all agencies working with the offender.

Reviews sentencing and probation requirements with offenders and monitors participants for compliance with said requirements.

Provides community education on the ramifications of alcohol and drug abuse, as well as the court system’s role in reducing the incidence of substance abuse offenses.

Travels to fulfill duties such as court attendance, AOC meetings, and trainings.

Assists in establishing short and long-term goals, plans, and priorities for the Court Referral Program with the Administrative Office of Courts.

Compiles and produces monthly reports to the Administrate Office of Courts

Meets regular attendance requirements.

Incorporates continuous quality improvement principles in daily activities.

Recommends and supports policies and procedures that guide and support the provision of quality services by the Tuscaloosa Municipal Court.

Maintains good interpersonal relationships with staff, co-workers, managers, and citizens.

Accomplishes the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation, in a timely manner.

Performs other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree with major course work in counseling, public administration, social work, business administration, criminal justice, or a related field required. Must possess or obtain provisional Court Referral Officer certification upon hire and must obtain full Court Referral Officer certification in the state of Alabama within one (1) year of employment; must attend continuing education classes and maintain certification on yearly basis. Two (2) years’ work experience in alcoholism, drug-abuse, law enforcement, counseling, or a related field; a Master’s degree in a related field may be substituted for work experience. Approval of the presiding Circuit Court judge or designee required upon hire. Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license.

Those in recovery must have at least two (2) years of sobriety prior to employment; former clients must have completed at least (2) years prior to employment

Other Qualifications

The following requirements are normal for this classification.  Specific requirements may not apply to all positions within this classification but are determined by the normal requirements for the particular position.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: Must be able to operate a motor vehicle and a variety of automated office equipment including a computer, printer, calculator, copiers, facsimile machines, telephone, etc. Physical demand requirements are at levels of those for light to moderate physical work that often involves physical interaction with clients and lifting, carrying, and delivering objects and materials of light to medium weight.

DATA COMPREHENSION: Requires the ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable functional, structural, or compositional characteristics (whether similar to or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people, or things which may include maps, medical documents/regulations, directories, procedural manuals, and operational manuals.

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION: Requires the ability to speak with and/or signal people to convey or exchange legal, financial, counseling, and medical-related information, including giving/receiving assignments and/or directions to/from co-workers, assistants, managers, or supervisors as well as communicating with the general public.

LANGUAGE ABILITY: Requires ability to read a variety of legal, financial, counseling, and medical-related documentation, directions, instructions, and methods and procedures. Requires the ability to write job related documentation and reports with proper format, punctuation, spelling, and grammar, using all parts of speech. Requires the ability to speak with and before others with poise, voice control, and confidence using correct English and well-modulated voice.

INTELLIGENCE: Requires the ability to learn and understand relatively complex legal, financial, counseling, and medical-related information, and operational principles and techniques, to understand departmental policies and procedures, to make independent judgments in absence of supervision, and to acquire and be able to expound on knowledge of topics related to primary occupation.

VERBAL APTITUDE: Requires the ability to record and deliver information, to explain procedures, and to follow verbal and written instructions.

NUMERICAL APTITUDE: Requires the ability to add and subtract, multiply and divide, calculate decimals and percentages; determine time; utilize basic algebraic formulas, and understand descriptive statistics.

FORM/SPATIAL APTITUDE: Requires the ability to visually inspect items for proper length, width, and shape using job related equipment.

MOTOR COORDINATION: Requires the ability to coordinate hands and eyes in using job-related equipment and to operate a motor vehicle.

MANUAL DEXTERITY: Requires the ability to handle a variety of items, machinery, automated office equipment, control knobs, switches, etc. Must have the ability to use one hand for twisting motion or turning motion while coordinating opposite hand with different activities. Must have minimal levels of eye/hand/foot coordination.

COLOR DIFFERENTIATION: May require the ability to discern color.

INTERPERSONAL TEMPERAMENT: Requires the ability to deal with and relate to people beyond giving and receiving instructions. Must be able to adapt to and perform under considerable stress when confronted with an emergency.

PHYSICAL COMMUNICATION: Requires the ability to talk, express, or exchange ideas by means of spoken words and/or hear and perceive nature of sounds by ear.