US Probation Officer

Summary

Probation officers serve in a judiciary law enforcement capacity and assist in the fair administration of justice, provide community safety, conduct objective investigations, supervise defendants or offenders, interact with collateral agencies, prepare reports and present recommendations to the Court. The officers hired will be assigned to prepare presentence reports and/or supervise defendants/offenders to maximize adherence to imposed conditions, reduce risk to the community, and to provide c

Duties

Conduct investigations and prepare reports for the Court with recommendations. Interview offenders/ defendants and their families and collect background data from various sources. Interpret and apply policies and procedures, statutes, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedures, and U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Monographs, and relevant case law, as applicable. Enforce court-ordered supervision conditions and implement supervision strategies. Maintain personal contact with defendants or offenders through office and community contacts to maximize adherence to imposed conditions, reduce risk of danger to the community, reduce risk of nonappearance, and to provide correctional treatment. Collect and conduct urinalysis tests of offenders/defendants, following established procedures and protocols. Maintain paper and computerized records of test results. Maintain chain of custody of urinalysis testing materials. Maintain detailed written records of case activity. Investigate employment, sources of income, lifestyle, and associates to assess risk and compliance. Responsible for detection of substance abuse. Through assessment and counseling, implement the necessary treatment or violation proceedings. Refer defendants or offenders to appropriate outside agencies such as medical and drug treatment facilities, employment and training. Analyze and respond to any objections to sentencing recommendations. This may include resolving disputed issues and presenting unresolved issues to the court for resolution. Assess risk level of defendants or offenders and develop a blend of strategies for controlling and correcting risk. Assure the protection of the constitutional rights of defendants through the statutory mandate to assess risk of nonappearance and danger to the community. Enforce pretrial and post-conviction supervision conditions through evidence-based practices of effective supervision. Respond to judicial officer's requests for information and advice. Testify in court as to the basis for factual findings and guideline applications. Serve as a resource to the court to facilitate proper imposition of release or sentence. Initiate contact with, reply to, and seek information from organizations and persons such as the U.S. Parole Commission, Bureau of Prisons, U.S. Attorney's Office, and various law enforcement, correctional and social service agencies. Detect and investigate violations and implement appropriate alternatives and sanctions. Report violations of the conditions of supervision to the appropriate authorities. Prepare well written, grammatically correct, objective reports for the court's consideration regarding pretrial, presentence, and/or post-conviction supervision issues. Knowledge of, and compliance with, the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees and court confidentiality requirements. Ability to demonstrate sound ethics and mature, professional judgment as an objective, neutral officer of the court.

Requirements

Applicants must be a United States citizen or eligible to work in the United States. As a condition of continued employment, every five years, employees in this position are subject to a re-investigation to determine continued suitability. The incumbent will be subject to ongoing random drug screening, and, as deemed necessary by management for reasonable cause, may be subject to subsequent fitness-for-duty evaluations.

Qualifications and evaluation

Applicants will be evaluated on education and work experience as it relates to the position.

Education

Completion of 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, 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. Education Substitution: Completion of one academic year (30 semester or 45 quarter hours), of graduate work in a field of study closely related to the position equates to one year of specialized experience. Completion of a master's degree in a field of study closely related to the position, or a Juris Doctor (JD) degree, equates to two years of specialized experience.

Benefits

Eleven paid federal holidays, paid annual and sick leave, paid parental leave, retirement benefits under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), tax deferred retirement savings and investment plan under the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), health, dental, vision and life insurance, flexible spending account for health and childcare reimbursement, and employee assistance program.

How to apply

U.S. Probation Office Attn: Human Resources Vacancy 2026-10 210 U.S. Courthouse 600 E. Monroe Street Springfield, IL 62701 You may also email your application materials in one pdf attachment to keely_sprague@ilcd.uscourts.gov.

Required documents

Only qualified applicants will be considered for this position. Applicants must be United States citizens or eligible to work in the United States. Qualified applicants will be tested. Applicants must submit all the following documents to be considered for this position. Non-submission of the required documentation or an incomplete packet will disqualify the applicant. Cover letter Resume A completed Application for Judicial Branch Employment (AO-78). You may download this form at www.ilcp.uscourts.gov/career-opportunities. (date of birth must be reported on the application form). College transcripts. Please indicate in your application packet which office you are interested in or if you would like to be considered for both Peoria and Springfield.

Additional information

Only qualified applicants will be considered for this position. Travel expenses to attend the interview will not be reimbursed. All information provided by the applicant is subject to verification. Due to the volume of applications the court will only communicate with those individuals invited for an interview. The U.S. Probation Office reserves the right to amend or withdraw this Announcement with or without notice to applicants and more than one vacancy may be filled from this announcement. The U.S. Probation Office for the Central District of Illinois is an equal opportunity employer.