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Finding a Corrections Job in Minnesota
In every corrections career there will be employment
requirements. They typically include a college degree in
corrections or related field, no serious criminal record and some
experience working with adult or juvenile offenders. Experience can
include working or volunteering with “at risk” children or adults,
mentoring, youth groups, etc.
Probation is a difficult field to gain entry, but it can happen.
Typically new probation officers have worked a few years in a group
home or correctional facility to gain experience before applying.
Entry level correction jobs usually start in group homes,
residential facilities, halfway houses, detention centers and/or
detox centers. These positions can also work out to be wonderful
and rewarding careers. Many probation officers start out taking a
maternity or temporary position to gain experience.
Individuals considering careers in Federal corrections are
consistent with most state and local hiring practices, and require
applicants to follow a set application process. In some areas of
the Federal system, such as probation or pretrial supervision a
Bachelors Degree and a Masters degrees with corrections experience
are preferred. In addition, applicants must be under the age of 37
at the time of application due to the mandatory retirement age at
57.
In order to gain access to a correction’s career, there are
several things you can do to move yourself ahead of the rest. They
include obtaining Rule 24 certification, which allows you to
complete chemical dependency assessments. This can be done with
certain college courses or
(
www.edensgroup.com ) is another location to get this training.
Some probation departments will hire individuals to write
pre-sentence investigation (PSI) reports. Lastly, volunteering at a
correctional agency will also look great on a job application.
Internships are the most important additional requirement.
Internships provide day to day hands on experience working with
clients. They also provide a network with other professionals
already working in the field. The Minnesota Association of County
Probation Officers (MACPO) and the Minnesota Corrections Association
(MCA) share a website for probation internships at
http://www.macpo.org/education.php.
If you would like to intern in a specific agency, your college
advisor should be able to set up with contact names. Most
internships are unpaid positions, and not all agencies or facilities
accept interns. Beware! Not all agencies will allow interns to
supervise caseloads or work one on one with clients. It is
preferred that you select an internship in a setting that will allow
you the most opportunity to work with offenders. A majority of
internships are 440 hours, but some agencies require 600 hours, so
be sure to ask. Internships are usually full-time, so as you plan
your college courses, keep this in mind.
Having work experience is critical to being hired. It is
important to begin building your work experience while you are still
in college. The private service providers (group homes, treatment
centers, detention centers, etc.) are the best resource to gain work
experience from. They often do not require that you have your
degree prior to employment, but most require that you are 21 years
of age. Working with adolescents is a great place to start, as they
usually have the highest areas of turnover. Working in entry-level
positions for private service providers will often require working
at night, on weekends, and holidays. Travel may also be a
requirement if there are not immediate openings in your area, and
you may find yourself working in facility that is 60 miles away.
Graduating from college with a degree in criminal justice or
other related field will not automatically get you a career in
corrections. Having your degree is great, now to get going on your
career. Hopefully by the time you graduate, you have already
completed an internship in corrections as well as done some
volunteer work. If not, you need to gain this experience as soon as
you can.
If your choice is to work in an institution (prison) you can go to
the DOC website and gain the employment information. If you want a
career working in a group home or treatment center, contact the
facility of your choice to learn of their employment requirements.
The MACPO website has a vendor site that lists some adult and
juvenile facility options you may want to consider.
If you want to work in probation, there are several things you
need to know. First of all, probation in Minnesota is a little
confusing. We have three systems (four if you include federal
probation/pretrial). The three systems include State, County and
Community Corrections. This system is explained in more detail in
the MACPO website as to which county has which system. The
Department of Corrections and the County Probation system now have
minimum standards you need to meet to be hired as a probation
officer. They include a degree in Corrections, Criminal Justice,
Criminology, Counseling, Counseling Psychology, Psychology, Social
Work or Sociology. You must have completed a 440 hour internship as
a probation officer or a corrections security case worker, or
completed 400 hours of volunteer experience in a probation
department or as a corrections security caseworker or two years
supervising offenders in a correctional environment. Other
qualifications that are recommended include: ability to document and
maintain case records, the ability to work with a diverse population
of offenders, oral and written communication skills sufficient to
speak in public, testify in court and write clear and concise
reports. You also need the ability to make case decisions, set
priorities and schedule time effectively. Remember, these are
minimum requirements. Most college graduates should already meet
these requirements and students who volunteer or work in a
correctional location will end up with the interviews.
If you want to work in a State probation agency, you need to go
to the Department of Employee Relations website at:
http://www.doc.state.mn.us/employment/howtoapply.htm. In this
site you will build your resume and click on locations and/or
counties you would like to work in. As openings occur, you will be
notified. Be very descriptive on the type of work you have done.
Your word choices could make the difference between being selected
for an interview. You remain on this list for one year and then you
will need to reapply. The county system will require that you meet
the minimum standards in order to be hired. Community Corrections
Act counties will have their own list and/or testing requirements.
Your best bet is to contact the county you would like to work in and
find out their requirements. County and DOC agencies pay nearly the
same salary, CCA counties will pay lower in outstate and higher in
the metro.
There are many places to start looking for current job listings.
Local and statewide newspapers, bulletin boards at your university
and by word of mouth between your fellow students. The Department
of Corrections publishes a monthly newsletter titled The Hotline (
http://www.doc.state.mn.us/ ) which will list many of the
probation/parole agent openings for County and Community Corrections
Agencies. You should check out the DOC, MACPO and MCA websites as
they now offer employment ads. Keep an eye on the major newspapers
or websites for corrections jobs as well. On the Internet go to the
web site:
http://www.mncorrections.org. For other correctional careers,
click on the DOC link at the DOC website for information about job
listings within the DOC. Once you have decided on a career of
choice, you will be able to narrow your selection of jobs.
Interviewing for job openings in corrections is something you
will want to do as much as possible. The interviewing experience is
a valuable lesson, and the more interviews you have the more
comfortable you will become. The typical interview process will
consist of you going before a panel of two or more interviewers.
Some interviews will require written portions to test your writing
ability, others will only be verbal questions. Below are some
sample interview questions:
- Tell us about your yourself, What are your strengths and
weaknesses, What are your future career goals, How long do you
see yourself staying in this area (community) if you are hired,
What are your prejudices, What are your interests and hobbies,
What is restorative justice, What are your salary requirements?
These are only examples, but being prepared to answer questions
like these will help with your confidence during interviews.
Questions are often scored on a scale system, including the personal
ones. Remember to dress professionally and look professional. When
you enter the interview room, shake the hand and look into the eyes
of each panel participant. Sit upright and face directly at the
person who is asking you questions. Make sure you answer the
question to the person that asked it. Take your time when
answering, and do not be afraid to ask the question to be repeated.
If you do not know the answer, but think you have an idea of what
they are looking for, then state that up front.
Always have some questions that you would like to ask. Some
suggestions are, what is included in your agency’s benefit package?
What type of offenders will I be expected to work with? Is there any
additional training that I may need to obtain for this position?
Finally, always remember to give a closing statement thanking the
panel members for their time and giving you the opportunity to
interview for the position.
The style and format you choose for your resume is up to you.
Good resumes are simple, brief, and accurate. Be sure to list any
special training you have earned in any of your jobs to date as well
as any special training such as Rule 25, CPR, First Aid, YLSI/LSI.
It also looks good if you are a member of a professional association
(see
www.mncorrections.org )
Originally completed by David Munson, Brown County Probation
Officer, 1999Updated by Les Schultz, Brown County Probation
Director, 2004
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