Community Service/Victim Assistant, O.C. #69-026

GENESEE COUNTY HUMAN RESOURCES

COUNTY BUILDING I, BATAVIA, NEW YORK

ANNOUNCES

 AN OPEN COMPETITIVE EXAMINATION FOR:

 COMMUNITY SERVICE/VICTIM ASSISTANT, O.C. #69-026

SALARY:  $16.32 - $18.89 per hour, (2019) Genesee County.

VACANCY: Genesee County Genesee Justice currently has one (1) vacant position.  This examination is also being held to establish an eligible list to fill future vacancies, which may occur during the life of the eligible list.

An eligible may receive only one permanent appointment from this list. Once appointed, there will be a Probationary Period of 8-52 weeks based on performance of duties.

CANDIDATES MUST BE LEGAL RESIDENTS OF GENESEE, ERIE, LIVINGSTON, MONROE, NIAGARA, ORLEANS OR WYOMING COUNTY AT THE TIME OF EXAMINATION AND FOR AT LEAST TWO MONTHS PRIOR TO THE DATE OF THE EXAMINATION. ELIGIBLE RESIDENTS OF A CIVIL DIVISION MAY BE GIVEN PREFERENCE IN APPOINTMENT TO VACANCIES IN THEIR AREA OF RESIDENCY.

LAST FILING DATE----------NOVEMBER 6, 2019

EXAMINATION DATE----------DECEMBER 14, 2019

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Candidates must meet one of the following requirements on or before the date of the written test:

Graduation from high school or possession of an appropriate equivalency diploma recognized by the NYS Department of Education, AND:       

A.        Graduation from a regionally accredited or NYS registered college or university with an Associate’s Degree, [IF CLAIMED, PLEASE ATTACH A COPY OF YOUR OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT TO YOUR APPLICATION];

OR:

B.       Completion of a minimum of 62 semester credit hours from a regionally accredited or NYS registered college or university AND one (1) year of full-time, paid experience in a criminal justice agency or other agency whose duties shall have involved counseling or case management/supervision, [IF CLAIMED, PLEASE ATTACH A COPY OF YOUR OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT AND INDICATE ALL RELEVANT EXPERIENCE ON YOUR APPLICATION];

OR:

C.        Two (2) years of full-time, paid experience as described above, [IF CLAIMED, PLEASE INDICATE ALL RELEVANT EXPERIENCE ON YOUR APPLICATION].

NOTE: Study in a regionally accredited or NYS registered college or university in a Criminal Justice program may be substituted for the education or experience noted above on a year for year basis.

PART-TIME, PAID EXPERIENCE WILL BE PRO-RATED AS APPROPRIATE.

A copy of an official transcript is acceptable for the purpose of taking this examination, however, at such time a candidate is offered an appointment, an official, sealed transcript with a raised college seal must be on file with the Personnel Department prior to the appointment.

NOTE: You may file for this examination if you expect to complete the educational requirement by January 31, 2020.  If successful on the examination, however, you will not be certified for appointment until you have submitted proof of completion of the educational requirements to Genesee County Human Resources. Proof must be submitted no later than 2 months after completion. Failure to do so will result in removal of your name from the eligible list.

NOTE: Photo ID will be required on the day of the examination.

CANDIDATES, PLEASE NOTE: It is vital that you submit, with your application, all information necessary to show your qualification for examination.  APPLICATIONS WHICH DO NOT SHOW TRAINING AND/OR EXPERIENCE TO MEET MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS WILL BE DISAPPROVED, AND WE WILL NOT REFER TO OTHER APPLICATIONS ON FILE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

NOTE – FILING FEES: (The acceptance of your application is dependent upon your following these instructions accurately):

A fee of $20.00 is required for each separately-numbered examination for which you apply.  The required fee must accompany your application.  The fee may be submitted in the form of either CASH or CREDIT CARD (if delivered in person), PERSONAL CHECK or MONEY ORDER, (if by mail).  Personal Checks and Money Orders must be payable to the GENESEE COUNTY TREASURER.  Please write the examination number(s) on your personal check or money order.  YOUR APPLICATION FEE WILL NOT BE REFUNDED if you do not meet the requirements for admission to the examination. Compare your qualifications carefully to the requirements stated on the announcement and file only for those examinations for which you are clearly qualified. A waiver of application fee will be allowed if you are receiving unemployment and primarily responsible for the support of a household.  In addition, a waiver of application fee will be allowed if you are determined eligible for Medicaid, or are receiving Supplemental Security Income payments, or Temporary Assistance for Needy Family assistance or Safety Net assistance, or are certified Job Training Partnership Act/Workforce Investment Act eligible through a State or local social service agency.  All claims for application fee waiver are subject to verification.  In order for us to verify your eligibility for an application fee waiver, you must complete a “Request for Fee Waiver” form and submit it with your application by the close of business on the Last Filing Date as indicated on the Examination Announcement. The “Request for Fee Waiver” form can be obtained at Genesee County Human Resources, 15 Main Street, Batavia, NY 14020 or from our website, www.co.genesee.ny.us.

TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES:

Assists in the promotion of a number of ATI Programs including Community Service Sentencing, Judicial Diversion, Domestic Abuser Supervision and RUS/Jail Detainees:

Assists in the interviewing of Community Service Clients to determine appropriateness for placement with non-profit agency, verifies legal and medical histories of clients, assists in monitoring the client’s progress or lack therefore;

Assists in promoting the Judicial Diversion Program as an alternative to the traditional justice route in select felony and misdemeanor cases, through presentations within the community and designing of specific programs that address the needs of the victim, the community, and the defendant;

Assists in the treatment/educational placement of domestic violence offenders placed under Court ACD or CD orders;

Assists in the bail evaluation and verification of information of those jail detainees eligible for RUS, assists in the monitoring of RUS offenders to insure reappearance in court and follow through on treatment/educational programming

Assists by working with other departments and agencies, such as the District Attorney’s Office, Sheriff’s Office, Justices, other police agencies, support service agencies, etc. during the various phases of the program;

Assists in compiling and maintaining records and logs;

Helps process and mail client, court and community agencies correspondence, documents, etc.

Under the general direction of the Program Director or his/her designee interviews crime victims in the victim’s place of residence; assesses victim’s needs and concerns; victim’s financial losses;

Prepares a Memorandum to the District Attorney on the victim’s recommendations and attitude towards the sentencing of the defendant;

Prepares and sends to the victim, a report outlining the progress of the case on a three to four week basis;

Prepares and submits to the court of jurisdiction, an in-depth report of the impact (Victim Impact Statement) the crime has had upon the victim and the victim’s family;

Assists with crime victims compensation claims.

SUBJECT OF EXAMINATION: A written test designed to evaluate knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in the following areas:

1.   Applying Information

2.   Working with People in Human Services Situations

3.   Preparing Written Material;     

4.   Interviewing

USE OF A CALCULATOR IS RECOMMENDED FOR THIS EXAMINATION.  QUIET, HAND-HELD, SOLAR OR BATTERY POWERED CALCULATORS ARE PERMITTED.  CELL PHONES OR DEVICES WITH TYPEWRITER KEYBOARDS ARE PROHIBITED.

EXPANDED SUB-TEST DESCRIPTION:

Applying Information-These questions test for the ability to apply simple information. You will be given a Resource Directory that describes community agencies, their purposes and the type of client each serves. Questions describe clients with a variety of problems and situations. You must determine the appropriate referral for clients based on the services which each agency provides.

Working with People in Human Services Situations-These questions test for a knowledge of general techniques used to deal with common client behaviors such as fear, hostility, shyness, resistance, defensiveness, withdrawal, anxiety and confusion.

Preparing Written Material-These questions test for the ability to present information clearly and accurately, and to organize paragraphs logically and comprehensibly. For some questions, you will be given information in two or three sentences followed by four restatements of the information. You must then choose the best version. For other questions, you will be given paragraphs with their sentences out of order. You must then choose, from four suggestions, the best order for the sentences.

Interviewing-These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices employed in obtaining information from individuals through structured conversations. These questions require you to apply the principles, practices, and techniques of effective interviewing to hypothetical interviewing situations. Included are questions that present a problem arising from an interviewing situation, and you must choose the most appropriate course of action to take. 
 
Test guide:
The New York State Department of Civil Service has not prepared a test guide for this examination. However, candidates may find information in the publication 'General Guide to Written Tests' helpful in preparing for this test. This publication is available on line at: https://www.cs.ny.gov/testing/testguides.cfm.

CROSS-FILING:If you have applied for other local government or state examinations, call or write to each civil service agency to make arrangements no later than two weeks before the date of the examinations.  You must notify all local government civil service agencies with whom you have filed an application of the test site at which you wish to take your examinations.  The “Cross-filer Form” for Genesee County can be obtained at Genesee County Human Resources, 15 Main St., Batavia, NY 14020 or from our website, www.co.genesee.ny.us.

NOTE: Religious Accommodations, Persons with Disabilities or Active Military: If special arrangements for testing are required, please indicate this on your application. An explanation of your need for special testing accommodations must be attached to your application.  If due to disability – medical documentation must be provided.

ACTIVE MILITARY MEMBERS: Any member of the armed forces of the United States who has duly filed an application to compete in a scheduled competitive examination but was deprived of the opportunity to compete in the examination due to active military duty could be provided with a special military make-up examination.

Current members of the Armed Forces may apply for Veteran’s credits by filing an “Application for Veteran’s Credits” (Form VC-1).  The “Application for Veteran’s Credits” can be obtained at Genesee County Human Resources, 15 Main St., Batavia, NY 14020 or from our website at, www.co.genesee.ny.us. Proof of military status must also be presented and verified in order for consideration of granting of “conditional” Veteran’s credit.  Acceptable proof may include a military I.D. card, military orders, or other official military document that substantiates active military service at time of exam.

This documentation and VC-1 Form must be received prior to the establishment of the Eligible List for this examination.  The “conditional” status of the additional credits will remain until proof is provided indicating that the service was in time of war and that the veteran received an honorable discharge, or was released under honorable circumstances.

VETERANS: Additional credits are available to veterans who meet certain established requirements.  Veterans who have not exhausted their credits should make application for their use, if desired.  A COMPLETED APPLICATION FOR VETERANS CREDITS (FORM VC-1) AND a COPY OF SEPARATION PAPERS (FORM DD-214) MUST BE RECEIVED BEFORE THE ELIGIBLE LIST FOR THIS EXAMINATION IS ESTABLISHED IN ORDER TO UTILIZE ADDITIONAL CREDITS.  DISABLED VETERANS MUST SUBMIT, IN ADDITION, A COPY OF FORM VC-3 (AUTHORIZATION FOR DISABILITY RECORD). The “Application for Veteran’s Credits” can be obtained at Genesee County Human Resources, 15 Main St., Batavia, NY 14020 or from our website at, www.co.genesee.ny.us.