State probation services in New Jersey are controlled by the Probation Services Department of the Administrative Office of the Courts. The department has a number of offices throughout New Jersey, including one in Essex County.
The Essex Vicinage Probation Division is located in East Orange. The county employs nine probation officers who supervise about 450 people on probation. In addition to working out of the main building, some probation officer jobs in Essex County are stationed at the Veterans Courthouse and the Wilentz Justice Complex. Probation officers in Essex County work closely with the Family and Criminal Divisions of the court.
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Education and Training Requirements for Essex County Probation Officer Jobs
The requirements to apply for a position as a probation officer in Essex County include having a bachelor’s or master’s degree in:
- Administration
- Criminology
- Education
- Law
- Psychology
- Social work
- Sociology
Applicants with bachelor’s degrees are required to have two years of experience in casework or counseling. Having a combination of experience and training that is equivalent can also qualify applicants for positions as probation officers in Essex County.
As part of the application process, applicants will have to be screened for drugs and alcohol and undergo a physical before employment. Qualified candidates will have to pass a civil service examination before they can be hired as probation officers in Essex County.
New employees receive formal training to learn how to become a probation officer in Essex County. This includes learning the legalities of the position and becoming familiar with assessment techniques to screen offenders to determine their level of risk.
Job Duties of Essex County Probation Officers
The two primary responsibilities of probation officers in Essex County are supervising offenders and enforcing child support. In addition, these probation officers handle cases related to:
- Supervisory treatment
- Adult intake
- Pre-trial intervention
- Sex Offenders
- Domestic violence
- Drug court
- The Greater Newark Safer Cities Initiative
- Newark Alliance for Compliance
The jobs of probation officers in Essex involve making sure that the adult on probation either has a job or is making efforts to obtain training and become employed. Another aspect of their jobs is making sure that the probationer is paying any fines or restitution established by the court. In Essex County, probation officers collect over $2.5 million in fees imposed by the court.
If counseling is required, the probation officers ensure that the probationer is complying. Testing for substance abuse is another aspect of the careers of probation officers in Essex. Probation officers also monitor compliance with any court-ordered community service.