Massachusetts Magistrates Court: Probation Officer Examination 2023 (REACH) - Solutions for Industry/Organizations (2023)

Description

MASSACHUSETTS SAMPLE COURT

Invite registrants to:

probation officer exam

EXAM INFORMATION

REGISTRATION OPENING DATE: November 14, 2022

LAST DAY FOR REGISTRATION: 11:59 pm on January 6, 2023

EXAMINATION DATE: January 17th to February 3rd

Application deadline: January 6, 2023

Exam Fee: $100

Note: An orientation and preparation guide will now be available to all confirmed test takers at no additional cost on the I/O Solutions portal.

Exam Location: Schedule the exact time and location to be completed after registering at Pearson VUE Test Centers.

Individuals who have taken and passed the probation officer examjuly 2014I HAVEComplete this exam to continue to be considered for probation officer positions. The exam is scored on a pass/fail basis.

Individuals who have taken and passed the probation officer examApril 2017 and October 2019I don't havetake this test to continue to be considered for probation officer positions.

DESIGNATION:

State law requires passing this exam to apply for probation officer positions. Individuals who fail to take and pass this exam may not be eligible for probation officer positions until another probation officer exam is offered in the future.

Passing the probation officer exam alone does not guarantee that applicants will get an interview. Individuals who apply for employment as a probation officer after passing this exam must also meet the minimum requirements for the position to be considered for employment. Test candidates should also keep in mind that due to the large number of qualified candidates expected for interviews, successful candidates often exceed the minimum requirements.

EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL TASKS:

Please review the sample core duties and associated minimum requirements for this position before applying for this probation officer exam.

A probation officer works with offenders/applicants on a variety of case types: criminal, criminal, civil, guardianship, and family-related matters such as divorce and child custody/visitation. Parole officers use a variety of skills that allow them to build a positive, cooperative working relationship with parole officers/litigators, helping them to change their behavior and negotiate contentious family issues.

A probation officer thoroughly investigates the offender's personal history, background, and environment, reports findings to the court, and is prepared to make appropriate recommendations regarding the restraining order. A probation officer uses a variety of tools to conduct initial and ongoing assessments of supervised offenders, refer parole officers to social resources in the community for rehabilitation assistance, enforce court orders; and makes appropriate recommendations during violation of probation procedures and modification of court orders.

A probation officer conducts community supervision during or after working hours as needed, including visits to parole officers' homes and workplaces to ensure compliance with parole terms, visits to victims to gather information and maintain it updates and visits to police departments, schools or corrections, depending on the nature of the case being handled. A probation officer also records offenders/contestants for electronic surveillance, including installation of equipment, in accordance with court orders; performs alcohol tests; and conducts substance use testing according to substance use records in court cases. Substance use testing includes observing sample collection and reading and interpreting test results. A parole officer also uses a variety of software/computer programs to keep accurate case notes, a chronological list of information, and liaise with parole officers/complainants.

WORK CONDITIONS:

Probation officers work in courtrooms, other court facilities, in the field, and at times may be alone with parole officers; can work rotating shifts; interacting with people under physical and/or emotional stress; must stand and walk for long periods of time; and must be able to travel regularly within the Commonwealth for professional and training purposes. Work-related trips include trips to parole officers' homes to visually inspect the home for drugs, contraband, weapons, and other items that may violate parole terms. Probation officers must be able to verify the identity of parolees and testify in court proceedings about their first-hand observations, including their observations during home visits.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

There are no minimum educational or professional requirements to take the exam. However, individuals must pass the exam and meet the following minimum requirements to be considered for appointment as a probation officer at the time of application.

A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university is required; A concentration in Human Services, Behavioral Sciences or Criminal Justice is preferred. In addition, at least 2 years of work experience in the areas of human services, criminal justice or 2 years working as an Associate Probation Officer.

Have in mind:A college degree in behavioral sciences, education, business, management, law or criminal justice can replace previous experience if the candidate also holds a bachelor's degree as per the educational requirements.

Passing the probation officer exam alone does not guarantee that an applicant will get an interview. Individuals applying for employment as a probation officer after passing this exam must also meet the minimum requirements for that job at the time of application to be considered for employment. Job seekers should be aware that due to the expected high volume of highly qualified applicants, candidates selected for an interview often exceed minimum requirements. Visithttps://www.mass.gov/jobs-with-the-court-system🇧🇷 to learn more about the probation officer role and to view current job postings.

The prerequisite for employment as a probation officer is to pass a criminal investigation and complete orientation training.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS AFTER passing the exam and before the appeal:

Massachusetts Residency Requirement -Pursuant to Chapter 478, Section 328 of the Acts of 1978, no non-Commonwealth resident may serve as an officer or employee of the Department of Justice; provided, however, that this provision does not apply to persons born before the enactment of chapter 478, paragraph 328.

Training –Applicants must successfully complete Probation Officer Orientation Training and are subject to a probationary period.Criminal Background Check -Interviewed candidates selected for appointment must complete the Consent to Check Criminal Records form. The Policy of the Courts of Procedure (Section 4.100) may prohibit the employment of persons with a misdemeanor conviction leading to imprisonment if the expiration date of such imprisonment is within five years of the date of application for employment or a felony conviction. immediately preceding. A CORI exam involving other violations will not automatically disqualify final candidates. Eligibility determinations based on CORI tests will be made in accordance with this Policy and any applicable law or regulation.

fingerprint -Pursuant to 28 C.F.R, the FBI CJIS Security Policy and the MA CJIS User Agreement Regarding Access to Confidential Information, final applicants must pass a fingerprint-based background check prior to initial employment and thereafter at least every five years.

Eligibility and Employment Verification Form (I-9) -Under the terms of the Immigration Control and Reform Act of 1986, applicants selected for employment following an offer of employment must complete an Employment Eligibility Assessment Form (I-9) and submit certain documents to verify identity and verify right to work in the United States. 🇧🇷

EXAM INFORMATION

Exam Date: January 17th to February 3rd

Exam registration deadline: January 6, 2023

Exam Fee: $100

Note: An orientation and preparation guide will now be available to all confirmed test takers at no additional cost on the I/O Solutions portal.

Exam Location: Pearson VUE Centers – The exact time and location for candidates to select in the exam window on the Pearson VUE website.

Record:All applications must be received within the specified timeframes and must be accompanied by an exam processing fee. You will receive a confirmation email when you have completed the process.🇧🇷 Your registration is not complete until you receive a confirmation email. You will receive all additional information about the exam by email. Please check the email address you registered with periodically for updates on the upcoming exam.

Your $100 exam fee must be paid by 11:59 pm. m. onJanuary 6, 2023,for standard registration. If you have not registered and paid for the exam on or beforeJanuary 6, 2023, your application will not be processed or accepted and you will not be able to take the exam. Successful registrants will be provided with information on how to log in to the Pearson VUE website and choose a time and location within the trial period that works best for their schedule. An orientation and preparation guide will also be available online to all confirmed registrants at no additional cost.

Fee waiver:The exam fee may be waived for registrants who receive certain state or federal welfare benefits or unemployment insurance. A link to the fee waiver form is available on the Labor Court Judgment website athttps://www.mass.gov/jobs-with-the-court-system🇧🇷 You must follow the instructions on the Fee Waiver Form regarding proper submission of the form and supporting documents. All fee waiver forms must be scanned and emailed toexams@jud.state.ma.usnot beforeJanuary 6, 2023🇧🇷 Late fee waiver forms will not be accepted.

Appropriate accommodation for the exam:If you wish to apply for a reasonable test accommodation due to a documented disability, you must successfully register for the test online and then complete a test accommodation form. A link to the trial accommodations form is available on the trial court's employment website athttps://www.mass.gov/jobs-with-the-court-system🇧🇷 You must also provide a letter of support from a qualified professional detailing what kind of reasonable accommodation you are requesting at the test site. You must follow the instructions on the test accommodation form regarding the correct submission of the form and supporting documents.

All test accommodation forms and supporting documents must be scanned and emailed toexams@jud.state.ma.usnot beforeJanuary 6, 2023🇧🇷 Delayed test accommodation forms will not be accepted. Without this letterJanuary 6, 2023we cannot guarantee that we will be able to provide you with accommodation. This information is only needed to make reasonable arrangements for audits and will not be used for any other purpose.

Current military:All military personnel who have an injunction to continue service proving their incapacity for military service on the date of the exam must register for the exam, pay the processing fee and request a replacement exam in writing with a copy of the attached military orders. 🇧🇷 Military-related inquiries should be emailed to:exams@jud.state.ma.us

With your request, please include an email address, work phone number and/or the name and phone number of a friend or family member with whom you are in regular contact and trust for personal communications. Note: Only candidates who register before the application deadline and submit the exam processing fee or fee waiver form for that exam will be eligible for a military replacement exam.

Without retaking the exam:Except for active duty military personnel described above, no candidate is eligible for a make-up exam due to personal or professional conflicts on the date of the exam. Candidates are encouraged to review this policy BEFORE registering for the exam. If you registered and subsequently encountered a personal emergency or unforeseen difficulty, you may request a follow-up exam by sending a written request with verifiable documentation to:exams@jud.state.ma.us

Note: Pre-planned vacation plans do not qualify as a personal emergency, unforeseen difficulty or reason for failure investigation.

Replacement exam requests must be received no later than 7 calendar days after the scheduled exam date. The trial court reserves the right to grant or deny your application and, once your application is approved, may charge an additional processing fee for the examination.

Identification at the exam location:At the test location, registrants must present a current, valid government-issued photo ID with signature (eg, driver's license, passport, military ID).

Change of personal data:Registrants are responsible for providing accurate contact information (e.g. address, email, phone number) to the court. Not keeping your records up to date and emailing them toexams@jud.state.ma.usIt may jeopardize employment opportunities.

Refunds:There will beNO REFUNDthe exam processing fee, unless the exam is canceled by the lower court.

During the judicial review process or during the term of this candidate pool, candidates must present the original documentation, in case the authenticity of the copies of the documents presented is questioned.

Contact information:

The examination procedure for this position is carried out by the settlement office. If you have any questions about this process, please contact:

Judicial Administration Office

Opening hours: Monday to Friday, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, except holidays.

E-mail:exams@jud.state.ma.us

Phone: 617-742-8575

All candidates who have registered and secured a spot on the exam have instant access to a study guide. You can access your study guide through the IOS recruiting website after paying the application fee at the URL above.