Corrections Sergeant - State of South Dakota : Job Details

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Job ID: 29488

Agency: Department of Corrections

Location: Pierre

Salary: $26.00 to $30.00 Hourly, depending on experience

Pay Grade: H

Closing Date: Open Until Filled

This is a full-time position with the Department of Corrections. For more information on the Department of Corrections, please visit

Maintains daily contact with offenders, to assist them with their day-to-day living in a correctional facility and to organize their activities while providing motivation and guidance; facilitates scheduling and program options in order that they may receive opportunities to learn how to change their criminal behavior.

Knowledge of:

* Department of Correction's Inmate Living Guide, classification system and unit plan;

* Department of Correction's policies and the institution's operations and procedures;

* modern concepts, principles, and practices related to the re-entry of an offender back into society;

* attitude, problems, and behavior of incarcerated individuals;

* programs available for rehabilitation of offenders;

Ability to:

* communicate and document logically, accurately, and concisely all pertinent information and decisions;

* make proper responses to safety and security problems;

* relate to and establish rapport with offenders and to assist them in their initial adaptation to prison life;

* plan, organize, schedule, and direct the work of others;

* apply department policies and institution operations and procedures for the assigned housing unit;

* maintain composure under stressful conditions or tense situations and de-escalate the situation(s).

Job Functions:

* Organizes the schedules, coordinates the activities, and manages events for an assigned housing unit to ensure smooth operation.

* Assists offenders with individual and family problems, scheduling and institutional adjustment to help them to understand and change their behavior.

* Coordinates and manages unit offender programs to ensure compliance with department policies and institutional operations.

* Provides work direction to Correctional Officers on the unit and performs security operations to ensure staff and offender safety and unit security.

* Conducts unit orientation and offender interviews and completes documentation used to determine cell/room assignment, and the priority for scheduling follow-on meetings with offenders.

* Serves as a member of the unit Job Boards providing input on classifications, housing and program assignments, work assignments, and program goals to ensure offender needs are met.

* Represents offenders convicted of rule infractions at disciplinary hearings to provide for the security of the unit, the safety of the staff and offenders, and the rehabilitation of the offenders.

* Performs the delegated Corrections Unit Manager duties in their absence.

* Performs other work as assigned.

Ideal Candidate Will Have:

Two (2) years of experience working directly with a *hard to serve high needs client population in a correctional or human services environment.

* Hard to serve needs clients include individuals with multiple barriers to employment, lack of educational or occupational skills attainment, low-income workers earning wages below self-sufficiency, low levels of literacy or English proficiency, disability status, basic skills deficient, homelessness, ex-offenders and justice involved, and public assistance dependency.

* OR -

Two (2) years of corrections experience where knowledge of offender classification, offender disciplinary system, grievance process, housing assignments and offender programs was obtained and Role Modeling Pro-Social Behaviors while maintaining Positive Professional Communications by providing offender population with Crisis Intervention was demonstrated.

Corrections-related experience is defined as experience in which the employee provided a direct service to/with clients detained against their will such as custody/control, teaching, social work, nursing, food service, and general maintenance; or supervised offenders in the implementation of a program such as correctional industries. This experience is not typically earned in clerical support programs.

NOTE: Entry level officers and clerical support experience does not have the authority outlined in the minimum qualifications to perform components of offender management as it relates to classification hearings, Multi-disciplinary staffing, vetting responses to offender grievances etc. Therefore, experience as an entry level officer and clerical support does not meet the definition of offender management as outlined in the minimum qualifications.

* OR -

A combination of education (Criminal Justice, Social Work, Sociology, Psychology, or similarly related field) and experience as defined above equal to two (2) years.

Conditions of Employment

* With or with accommodations, successfully pass all modules of the South Dakota Department of Corrections Basic Training, to include English reading comprehension, relevant competency assessments and written/practical exams in Defensive Tactics;

* Possess the physical ability to successfully complete Defensive Tactics;

* Lift arms above head and kick as high as own waist;

* Stabilize another person to accomplish a controlled take down;

* Use arms, palms of hands, shins, and feet to deliver blows;

* Withstand impact (slow speed or with a safety bag) on own body from strikes/blows;

* Rotate body 90 degrees with feet planted for striking with foot or using a defensive tactic;

* Get down on one or both knees and up again with multiple repetitions;

* Will be exposed to Oleoresin Capsicum during Basic Training and will be exposed while on assignment;

* Must be able to see and hear in order to observe, address and respond to potential breaches in safety and security;

* Seize, hold, control or subdue violent or assaultive persons and defend oneself or others to prevent injury;

* Demonstrate body agility, strength of all four limbs and the ability to walk and climb stairs consistently;

* Work in situations involving assaultive behavior, physical control of another person and/or restraint situations;

* Deal with individuals with a range of moods and behaviors, utilizing tactfulness and a congenial, personable manner;

* Work with people of the opposite sex, diverse racial ethnic groups, mentally ill and emotionally disturbed offenders;

* Communicate by talking, listening and/or signaling people to convey or exchange information, assignments;

* Work in an environment with fluctuating noise and temperature (hot and cold) which may include working outdoors in inclement weather and/or concrete floor/wall work settings;

* Willing and able to travel;

* Willing and able to work various shifts and days as needed for facility coverage;

* TB (tuberculosis) screening is required of all new employees upon hire.

Additional Requirements: Please attach a Resume with your application.

This position is eligible for Veterans' Preference per ARSD 55:10:02:08.

Successful applicant(s) will be required to undergo a background investigation. An arrest/conviction record will not necessarily bar employment.

NCRC: If you possess a National Career Readiness Certificate, please submit the certificate with your application. For more information on how to acquire a National Career Readiness Certificate contact a South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation Job Service Office. A certificate is not necessary to be considered.

The State of South Dakota does not sponsor work visas for new or existing employees. All persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and complete an Employment Eligibility Verification, Form I-9. The State of South Dakota as an employer will be using E-Verify to complete employment eligibility verification upon hire.

The State of South Dakota offers $0 premium employee health insurance option plus eleven paid holidays, generous vacation and sick leave accrual, dental, vision, and other insurance options, and retirement benefits. You can view our benefits information at This position is a member of Class B retirement under SDRS.

Must apply online:

You must apply online, emailed resumes or submissions will not be accepted.

South Dakota Bureau of Human Resources

Telephone: 605.###.#### Email: [email protected]

An Equal Opportunity Employer

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