DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS: This is an important professional and administrative position involving responsibility for the planning, organization, and direction of the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office Genesee Justice Program. This position is responsible for the efficient and effective oversight of the Regional Child Advocacy Center, as well as the development and promotion of new initiatives in the Criminal Justice System. The incumbent works closely with other members of the Criminal Justice system, including the Sheriff, District Attorney, Public Defender, and Judges. The programs administered by this office impact all aspects of the Criminal Justice process, with particular emphasis on finding alternatives to incarceration, seeking funding sources, and work with victims and advocates for the rights of crime victims. The Director exercises wide latitude in the administration of the overall program with minimal direction from the Sheriff. Supervision is exercised over the work of clerical and professional subordinate employees.
TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES:
Plans, organizes, and promotes the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office Genesee Justice Programs (ATI, Community Corrections, Victim Assistance and Child Advocacy);
Works closely with other members of the Criminal Justice system, including the Sheriff, District Attorney, Public Defender, and Judges;
Promotes a balanced and restorative justice philosophy focusing on victim advocacy, offender accountability and developing justice partnerships with the community
at-large;
Researches and develops new justice initiatives to assist in enhancing the Justice System and the sentencing judgments of the judiciary;
Contributes in a caring and constructive manner to the victim of crime through direct advocacy, the Genesee County Criminal Justice Advisory Council, the New York State Crime Victims Board, and the Office for Children and Family Services;
Focuses the program’s criminal justice activities on reducing the jail population through Release Under Supervision, Judicial Diversion, Post-sentence Release, ATI, Community Corrections and victim directed sentencing;
Performs required, state-mandate case management duties within the office;
Accounts for all finances received from the Federal, State, County and private agency grantees or governmental agencies;
Prepares financial, statistical and narrative reports as required by Federal, State and private agency funding sources, the County Legislature, local courts and the Criminal Justice Advisory Council;
Acts as office liaison with the judges of Genesee County, the District Attorney, Probation Office, Police Agencies, Public Defender, Criminal Justice Advisory Council and Genesee County Victim Support Groups;
Continues to design and develop relevant grants and requests for funding proposals for the Genesee Justice Program;
Acts as a technical consultant with other jurisdictions desiring to replicate Genesee County’s criminal and victim justice initiatives;
Responds to requests from the media and forwards necessary reports, as well as address special requests from members of the public responding with appropriate documentation;
Prepares annual county and specific grant budget and oversees the Genesee County Child Advocacy center.
The above examples of duties are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position.
FULL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND/OR PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS: Thorough knowledge of the operations of the Criminal Justice System; thorough knowledge of restorative justice practices and principles; thorough knowledge of the operations of the Genesee Justice Programs and its responsibilities under grant requirements; good knowledge of public relations; ability to plan and supervise others; ability to prepare and maintain accurate records and reports; ability to perform with a multiple of diverging demands and a sensitivity to others being served; ability to write legibility and to communicate clearly with others; ability to understand and carry out oral and written instructions; grant writing ability and supervision of federal, state, private and municipal grants; understanding and experience of financial accounting and municipal accounting procedures with required financial documentation; ability to conduct outreach activities with local communities and judges; ability to initiate collaborative efforts with other criminal justice and support service agencies, victim coalitions and multi-disciplinary teams.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Graduation from High School or possession of an appropriate equivalency diploma recognized by the NYS Department of Education AND possession of a Bachelor's Degree from a regionally accredited or NYS registered college or university with a major in Criminal Justice, Human Services or related field, AND five (5) years of full-time, paid experience in the Criminal Justice field, in the areas of Probation, Alternatives to Incarceration or Victim Assistance.