Section 10. Pretrial Services Staff Requirements
Effective December 8, 2022
(a) A pretrial services entity shall develop and observe policy and procedure describing pretrial services staff qualifications and training requirements.
(b) A pretrial services entity shall maintain documentation that the coordinator complies with at least one of the following:
(1) has a baccalaureate degree from an accredited university or college; and
(A) the equivalent of three years of full-time paid experience in criminal justice or human services; or
(B) has an advanced degree from an accredited university or college in criminal justice or human services; or
(2) was employed as a pretrial services coordinator or pretrial services officer before January 1, 2021.
(c) A pretrial services entity shall maintain documentation that each pretrial services officer complies with at least one of the following:
(1) has a baccalaureate degree from an accredited university or college; or
(2) was employed as a pretrial services officer before January 1, 2021.
(d) The pretrial services entity shall maintain personnel files for the coordinator and each pretrial services officer. The personnel files shall contain, at a minimum, the following information:
(1) Date of hire by pretrial services for each position held.
(2) Job description, including:
(A) Job title.
(B) Qualifications.
(C) Credentials, if applicable.
(D) Duties and responsibilities.
(E) Reporting and supervisory responsibilities.
(3) Documentation of the minimum job qualifications required by this section.
(4) Documentation of the accrued continuing education hours required by this section.
(e) The coordinator and each pretrial services officer shall attend and complete a staff orientation program approved by the Pretrial Services Committee within the staff member’s first year of employment with the certified pretrial services entity.
(1) A coordinator or pretrial services officer employed by a pretrial services entity prior to January 1, 2021, is not required to attend the staff orientation training under this section.
(2) A coordinator or pretrial services officer who fails to attend the staff orientation within the first year of employment with a certified pretrial services entity is prohibited from performing his or her job functions as defined in section 3 of these rules except as authorized by the Indiana Office of Court Services pursuant to this subsection.
(A) The Indiana Office of Court Services shall send written notice to the supervising judge of a coordinator’s or pretrial services officer’s failure to attend and complete staff orientation as required by this subsection.
(B) The Indiana Office of Court Services shall notify the supervising judge in writing of the Indiana Office of Court Services’ decision to impose a suspension on a coordinator’s or pretrial services officer’s ability to perform his/her job functions as defined by these rules.
(C) The Indiana Office of Court Services’ decision becomes final on the thirtieth (30th) day following the date of the written notification to the supervising judge unless the supervising judge submits specific written objections to the Indiana Office of Court Services before the expiration of the 30-day period.
(D) If the Indiana Office of Court Services and the supervising judge are unable to resolve all points of contention, the supervising judge may request a hearing in accordance with section 8(b) of these rules.
(3) The coordinator and each pretrial services officer shall obtain at least 12 hours of continuing education in each calendar year following date of hire. At least six hours of the annual continuing education requirement shall contain information on evidence-based practices. All continuing education hours shall be approved by the pretrial services supervising judge.
(4) The coordinator shall maintain documentation of the continuing education hours completed by staff as required under this subsection in the staff member’s personnel file.
(5) The coordinator shall submit a report of completed continuing education hours for each staff member as required by this subsection on an annual basis to the Indiana Office of Court Services in conjunction with the pretrial services annual report required under section 22(c).
(6) A coordinator or pretrial services officer who fails to complete the required continuing education hours under this subsection is prohibited from performing his or her job functions as defined in section 3 of these rules except as authorized by the Indiana Office of Court Services.
(A) The Indiana Office of Court Services shall send written notice to the supervising judge of a coordinator’s or pretrial services officer’s failure to attain the annual continuing education hours required by this subsection.
(B) The Indiana Office of Court Services shall notify the supervising judge in writing of the Indiana Office of Court Services’ decision to impose a suspension on a coordinator’s or pretrial services officer’s ability to perform his/her job functions.
(C) The Indiana Office of Court Services’ decision becomes final on the 30th day following the date of the written notification to the supervising judge unless the supervising judge submits specific written objections to the Indiana Office of Court Services before the expiration of the 30-day period.
(D) If the Indiana Office of Court Services and the supervising judge are unable to resolve all points of contention, the supervising judge may request a hearing in accordance with section 8(b) of these rules.