Parole Board/Release Authority Member

JOIN OUR TEAM!

We are transforming and saving lives at DYS!

A safer Ohio: one youth, one family and one community at a time.

About Us…

The Ohio Department of Youth Services strives to save and transform the lives of youth throughout the state of Ohio. Our employees work together to support youth and empower families and communities. In addition to our three juvenile corrections facilities, we support more than 600 community programs reaching more than 90,000 youth across the state.

Our Guiding Principles…

• Demonstrate staff are our greatest resource
• Treat everyone with respect
• Cultivate a trauma responsive environment for staff and youth to thrive
• Provide the best support and services for youth and families
• Advance our culture of inclusion through understanding and appreciating staff and youth differences
• Commit to and encourage collaboration and continuous improvement to produce better outcomes for those we serve
• Celebrate collective successes and support one another through opportunities to improve

To learn more about DYS, please visit our website by clicking here.

The Opportunity: We are seeking a dedicated and analytical professional to serve as a Release Authority Board Member. In this critical role, you will work collectively with other board members to make decisions regarding the release, discharge, and community supervision of youth committed to the legal custody of our agency.

The ideal candidate possesses a strong background in justice systems, law, or social work, and is deeply committed to balancing public safety, youth accountability, and successful habilitation.

Core Responsibilities:

Decision-Making and Case Review

• Collaborative Governance: Act collectively with fellow board members to render decisions regarding the release and discharge of youth in DYS custody.
• Case Evaluation: Review and analyze classification materials, placement and treatment plans, and progress reports to evaluate youth competency, public safety and accountability.
• Discretionary Determinations: Execute decisions pursuant to Release Authority policies regarding release recommendations, conditions of release/discharge, length of stay extensions, supervised revocations.
• Appeals and Inquiries: Conduct appeals, inquiries, and investigations.

Policy, Data, and Compliance

• Policy Development: Partner with other board members under the direction of the Parole Board Chairperson to develop, review, and refine release decision guidelines and policies.
• Data-Driven Analysis: Utilize risk assessment and statistical data to guide decisions; review ongoing statistical trends to recommend revisions to existing guidelines.
• Legal and Court Compliance: Review, audit, and monitor compliance with court orders. Interpret statutes and research legal opinions to determine their impact on Board operations.

Interviews, Reporting, and Documentation

• Interviews and Hearings: Conduct interviews with victims, victim representatives, prosecutors, juvenile court judges, court personnel, youth, and parents/guardians.
• Records Management: Maintain meticulous records of official board actions, discussions, orders and hearing summaries, ensuring accessibility in accordance with Ohio law.
• Reporting: Collect, develop, and maintain statistical data regarding services and decisions; prepare and submit comprehensive reports to the Parole Board Chairperson and Release Authority.

At the State of Ohio, we take care of the team that cares for Ohioans. We provide a variety of quality, competitive benefits to eligible full-time and part-time employees*. For a list of all the State of Ohio Benefits, visit our Total Rewards website! Our benefits package includes:

• Medical Coverage
• Free Dental, Vision and Basic Life Insurance premiums after completion of eligibility period
• Paid time off, including vacation, personal, sick leave and 11 paid holidays per year
• Childbirth, Adoption, and Foster Care leave
• Education and Development Opportunities (Employee Development Funds, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and more)
• Public Retirement Systems (such as OPERS, STRS, SERS, and HPRS) & Optional Deferred Compensation (Ohio Deferred Compensation)

*Benefits eligibility is dependent on a number of factors. The Agency Contact listed above will be able to provide specific benefits information for this position.

Completion of undergraduate core program in correctional work (i.e., including law enforcement, probation or parole), social work or law; and 5 yrs. exp. in law, social work or correctional work (i.e., including law enforcement, probation or parole) or in combination of three categories. For positions with Release Authority, director of Department of Youth Services shall ensure selected members meet qualifications as mandated in Section 5139.50 (B) of Ohio Revised Code. 

Job Skills: Board and Commission Compliance

Travel required; must maintain valid driver's license and remain eligible for state's liability program coverage. 

BACKGROUND CHECK NOTICE: The final candidate selected for this position will be required to undergo a pre-employment drug screening and criminal background check that includes results from BCI and FBI, Ohio Department of Public Safety and Ohio Department of Taxation. Criminal convictions do not necessarily preclude an applicant from consideration for a position. An individual assessment of an applicant's prior criminal convictions will be made before excluding an applicant from consideration.

PRE-SERVICE TRAINING: All new candidates hired to the Department of Youth Services are required to attend 3 weeks of mandatory, paid training at the Correctional Training Academy in Orient, Ohio. Training Academy hours are Monday through Thursday, 7:00 am to 5:00 pm.

DYS is a “qualifying employer” for purposes of the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness [PSLF] program.

Ohio is a Disability Inclusion State and strives to be a model employer of individuals with disabilities. The State of Ohio is committed to providing access and inclusion and reasonable accommodation in its services, activities, programs and employment opportunities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws.

The State of Ohio is a drug-free workplace which prohibits the use of marijuana (recreational marijuana/non-medical cannabis). Please note, this position may be subject to additional restrictions pursuant to the State of Ohio Drug-Free Workplace Policy (HR-39), and as outlined in the posting.