This post provides detailed information on the correctional counselor job description, including the key duties, tasks, and responsibilities they commonly perform.
It also highlights the important requirements you may be expected to fulfill to be hired for the correctional counselor role by most employers.
What Does a Correctional Counselor Do?
A correctional counselor provides support, guidance, and funds to inmates in assisting them on their journey toward improvement.
The correctional counselor job description entails group counseling, provision of coping and anger management skills for inmates, supervision of education and training programs, provision of advice and guidance to criminals, and giving support to criminals to become industrious members of the society.
Among the subsidiary tasks, the correctional counselor may also participate in conflict resolution, enhancement of rehabilitation processes within correctional facilities, promotion of personal development, facilitating behavioral changes, and development of rehabilitation programs.
Correctional Counselors work collaboratively with probation officers, and also with individuals involved in the criminal justice system, individuals on probation or parole, young offenders, and in some cases the families of offenders.
A correctional counselor’s responsibilities can be as simple as evaluation of the progress of inmates in jails, prison, and community or as complex as supervision of education and training programs.
They are also expected to maintain case files, teach life skills classes, and assist patients to come to their own conclusions about positive behavioral changes.
Correctional counselors engage in a wide range of activities using tools and technologies to support their work in rehabilitation and reintegration, ranging from basic mental health care tools and communication systems to advanced educational programs with AI and virtual reality for training and therapy.
Depending on the specific facility’s structure, most correctional counselors report to the superintendent of the correctional facility, record officer, welfare officer, or a medical officer.
In larger correctional operations, correctional counselors typically report to either a casework supervisor or supervising counselor.
Where Correctional Counselors Work
Correctional Counselors work mostly in jails and prisons, but the opportunities opening up are also in the community reentry programs, or probation and parole offices.
Some counselors may work for government agencies, community reentry programs, private correctional facilities, nonprofit organizations, or as an independent correctional counselor who owns their own correctional facility.
Not all regions view the role of a correctional counselor as being equivalently important.
In countries like the United States, Canada, and New Zealand where there is a high rate of criminals, correctional counselors are in high demand.
Correctional counselors also play a vital role in helping those who are involved in the criminal justice system.
Correctional Counselor Training
While formal education is not strictly necessary, many employers prefer correctional counselors who have completed specialized training in correctional counseling.
For anyone interested in this training, it is provided by technical schools or community colleges and it can lengthen to certification programs.
For example, the College of Lake County is one that is highly regarded within the industry and that can be of special benefit to job candidates.
A correctional counselor may utilize on-the-job training for the ability to learn from their fellow professionals.
Correctional Counselor Employment Requirements
Employers often seek the services of a correctional counselor who has a passion for helping individuals in correctional facilities and offenders on probation/parole.
Analytical skills, observation skills, and problem-solving abilities are highly recognized and attractive to employers when hiring for the correctional counselor role.
Correctional Counselors may be expected to adhere to national and local laws that dictate safety standards.
For example, in the United States, industry standards are set and certification offered by Counseling Schools.
In the UK, the British Association for Counseling and Psychotherapy (BACP) sets industry standards and offers certification for counseling and psychotherapy professionals, including those working in correctional settings.
Also, the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) is another prominent organization that sets standards and provides accreditation for correctional counselors.
Correctional Counselor Job Description Example/Sample/Template
The correctional counselor job description consists of the following duties, tasks, and responsibilities:
- Assess the convict’s emotional and social needs and their possibility of committing offenses again, and make plans for the kind of treatment required in that situation
- Maintain and support inmates’ documentation, progress notes, classification reports, social histories, and counseling records
- Work together with other members of the treatment squad, such as parole officers, correctional officers, and other professionals to combine efforts and ensure a consistent and effective approach to rehabilitation
- Make suggestions concerning the suitable classification level of inmates to assess their behavioral and positive changes made towards self-improvement
- Carry out both individual and group rehabilitation sessions, and make provision for guidance and support while working towards rehabilitation
- Take part in case discussions with other correctional counselors concerning rehabilitation options while handling drug or alcohol treatment programs
- Obtain information from family members of the client, inmate files, reports, and records and use them to develop treatment programs
- Help inmates acquire post-release planning and job readiness, and get in touch with community resources to sustain their transition back into the society
- Prepare detailed reports and documentation of inmates’ rehabilitation plans, progress, and other necessary information
- Utilize designed and implemented plans to address identified needs, including vocational training, cognitive behavioral therapy, aggression management, and drug abuse treatment
- Work as the unit professional and coordinator handling issues pertaining to trust fund activities, such as inmate withdrawals and special purchase orders; and inmate personal property, including incoming and outgoing package approvals
- Ensure successful inmate reintegration into the community by adjusting treatment plans, providing ongoing support, and tracking inmates’ progress
- Organize inmate examination to identify their strengths and needs, build and implement rehabilitation strategies, as well as facilitate recreational, educational, and vocational programs
- Meet individually with inmates and ask questions to support them to work on their own minds and come to their own conclusions about positive behavioral changes
- Utilize the theories of psychology to view inmates as patients and use the exact methods a correctional counselor would use to bring a permanent solution to their problems through a planned treatment schedule
- Dive into the emotions and thoughts that drive behavior, and help patients find those connections in order to understand them and make better behavioral choices
- Educate inmates and families on coping strategies, social and life skills, as well as substance abuse and its impact on their lives
- Make arrangement for provision of support and resources to inmates as they work towards recovery
- Offer conflict resolution and crisis intervention services to create a peaceful and problem-free environment
- Assess security risks and suggest preventative measures for the safety of inmates, and even advocate for their rights and needs within the correctional system.
Correctional Counselor Requirements: Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities for Career Success
The correctional counselor requires certain technical skills, industry knowledge, and a number of personal attributes to be successful on the career and to qualify for hiring by most recruiters/employers, including:
- Strong Communication: Correctional counselors need excellent verbal and written communication skills to participate in case management, write reports, and interact with inmates, coworkers, and other stakeholders. They should pay full attention to the concerns of the inmates to answer any questions that may be asked.
- Interpersonal Skills: For correctional counselors to build relationship with inmates, they need to possess solid interpersonal skills. It will help them to develop a beneficial relationship that will lead to a successful treatment.
- Resilience: Correctional counselors might make mistakes occasionally but they need to correct their mistakes so they can move on to improve in their role. It is the correctional counselor’s responsibility to learn from the experience of fight or injury and take necessary steps to prevent it in the future.
- Organizational Skills: Correctional counselors need strong organizational skills to keep records, handle caseloads, and coordinate different activities in the best way possible.
- Problem-Solving Skills: Correctional counselors need good problem-solving skills to assess situations and make effective plans toward resolving issues.
- Excellent Observation Skills: Correctional counselors need to have good observation of things happening around them. With the skills, they can easily identify and address minor problems that are yet to erupt. The observation skills will help stop illegal activities and strange behaviors of inmates for their safety before the situation gets worse.
- Analytical Skills: Analytical skills help correctional counselors to find out strange activities and take proper action for a solution. Problem-solving needs analytical skills to prevent them from happening again after solving them.
- Decision-making Skills: Correctional counselors require the skill that will enable them make firm decisions. They need self-confidence and a strong analytical mind when making decisions in order to gain respect from inmates and coworkers.
- Stress Management Skills: Correctional counselors don’t need to be overwhelmed with stress no matter how stressful their job may seem to be. It requires the adequate skills to be able to manage stress and react positively during severe situations.
- Obedience Skills: As rehabilitation center can be a stressful atmosphere with a variety of groups of people living together, both the staff and the client should develop the ability to follow the rules. Correctional counselors need to research legislation and understand the rules and regulations before applying for a correctional counselor position.
- Confidentiality: Correctional counselors need to keep any information they receive private. Except it’s required for medical purpose or another important reason, correctional counselors don’t have the right to reveal any information about their clients.
- Compassion: Correctional counselors should show a true concern for the welfare of inmates to be able to effectively counsel and rehabilitate them. Compassion will help them develop a good relationship with their clients, understand and relate to their challenges and experiences to support and advise them.
- Dispute Resolution and Negotiation Skills: During rehabilitation of inmates, correctional counselors require the skills to handle any disagreement or quarrel that may occur among inmates or colleagues so as to maintain peace.
- Self-discipline: Self-discipline will help correctional counselors concentrate fully on their work and apply logical means of handling situations, such as fight or quarrel. They will keep making researches and continually learn and develop new skills to do better at work using self-discipline.
- Collaboration: Working together as a team creates room for support and also makes work more efficient and pleasurable. Although the job of a correctional counselor can be stressful, it’s easier with a team that is supportive.
- Negotiation Skills: While they enforce rules and regulations, correctional counselors can have empathy and understanding for inmates. The negotiation skills that correctional counselors need to possess is to help resolve issues among inmates.
- Critical Thinking Abilities: Correctional counselors need to examine information, analyze risks, and make knowledgeable judgments. They should be able to understand the issues and challenges offenders are confronted with so that they can determine and make use of the appropriate treatment.
Download correctional counselor job description template (pdf).
Correctional Councilor Job Description for Resume
If you have been employed before as a correctional counselor or are currently working in that role and are making a resume or CV for a new employment, then you can create persuasive Professional Experience for your resume by applying the sample correctional counselor job description provided above.
You can express the duties and responsibilities you have carried out as a correctional counselor in your resume’s Professional Experience by utilizing the ones provided in the above correctional counselor job description example.
This will show to the recruiter/employer that you have been successful working as a correctional counselor, which can boost your chances of getting the new job, especially if it requires someone with some correctional counselor work experience.
Conclusion
This post has provided detailed coverage of the correctional counselor job description, highlighting the major responsibilities and duties that they typically perform.
It also provided insight into where correctional counselors may work, their training, and what employers typically require for hiring correctional counselors.
This may be a quite satisfying job for anyone with a compassionate mind since one gets to interact with inmates.
With more people going into drug addiction and engaging in crimes, correctional counselors will be in higher demand, hence job security.
Employers looking to hire competent correctional counselors can apply the job description example and template provided above in making one for their organization.
