ORLEANS COUNTY CIVIL SERVICE

CRIME VICTIM'S ADVOCATE

John C. Welch, Jr.

Personnel Officer

#64-968

OPEN COMPETIVE

WRITTEN EXAMINATION DATE: SEPTEMBER 20, 2008

LAST FILING DATE: AUGUST 18, 2008

VACANCIES: 

                            One part time in the Orleans County District Attorney Department.  The eligible list which will result from this examination will be used to fill vacancies as they occur in the County of Orleans.

SALARY:         As per CSEA contract

RESIDENCE:

                            Candidates must have been legal residents of Orleans County for at least one month immediately preceding the date of the written test.

DUTIES:           This position in the District Attorney’s Office is responsible for providing a variety of support services to felony crime victims and witnesses to assist them in coping and cooperating with the criminal justice system.  Examples of services are transportation, counseling and referral, and advice on rights and responsibilities.  Clients work with the same Victim/Witness Advocate through the entire court process.  The incumbent may be required to work extended hours including nights and weekends.  Work is performed under the general supervision of the District Attorney.  Does related work as required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:  EITHER:

              Graduation from high school or a high school equivalency diploma AND

              (A) Two years paid full-time or its part-time equivalent experience involving interviewing members of the public in a human services or law enforcement setting, in a victim assistance agency, or in a community service agency dealing with crisis intervention such as the Rape Crisis Center, Alternatives for Battered Women or Restart.   

OR

              (B)  Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university with an Associate’s Degree (or 60 credit hours) in Criminal Justice, Human Services, Paralegal Studies or a related degree. 

NOTE:  It is vital that you submit with your application, all information necessary to show your qualifications for examination.  If your qualifications include a degree, please include an original transcript(s) to your application.

SUBJECT OF EXAMINATION:  Written test will be designed to evaluate knowledge, skills and/or abilities in the following areas:

              1.  Assisting and counseling crime victims - These questions test for knowledge of the principles, practices, and programs associated with assisting and counseling crime victims in New York State. Questions may cover such topics as: identifying crime victims in need of assistance; understanding and recognizing the impact of domestic violence, rape, child abuse, assault, DWI, and other crimes on victims and their families; determining social, personal, emotional, educational, legal, and employment resources needed; referring victims and their families to those resources; using crisis intervention and supportive counseling techniques; assisting crime victims in working with the legal system; and working with volunteers.

              2.  Educating and interacting with the public - These questions test for a knowledge of techniques used to interact effectively with individual citizens and/or community groups, to educate or inform them about topics of concern, to publicize or clarify agency programs or policies, to negotiate conflicts or resolve complaints,  and to represent one’s agency or program in a manner in keeping with good public relations practices. Questions may also cover interacting with others in cooperative efforts of public outreach or service. 

              3.  Individual and group counseling  - These questions test for a knowledge and understanding of the principles and practices of individual and group counseling. Questions may cover such topics as: establishing, maintaining, and terminating client/counselor relationships; organizing and facilitating group counseling; recognizing, interpreting, and responding to individual and group behaviors; and assessing the effectiveness of counseling.

              4.  Interviewing - These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices employed in obtaining information from individuals through structured conversations. These questions require you to apply the principles, practices, and techniques of effective interviewing to hypothetical interviewing situations. Included are questions that present a problem arising from an interviewing situation, and you must choose the most appropriate course of action to take.

              5.  Preparing written material - These questions test for the ability to present information clearly and accurately, and to organize paragraphs logically and comprehensibly. For some questions, you will be given information in two or three sentences followed by four restatements of the information. You must then choose the best version. For other questions, you will be given paragraphs with their sentences out of order. You must then choose, from four suggestions, the best order for the sentences.

Use of calculators is ALLOWED 

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

1. Each candidate must execute an application form and file it with the Orleans County Civil Service Office, County Administration Building, 14016 Route 31 West, Albion, NY 14411. Applications should be filed as soon as possible after the announcement of the examination. In writing for the application form and information, SPECIFY BY ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER AND TITLE the position for which you wish to apply. Before filing your application, BE SURE EVERY QUESTION IS ANSWERED. An incomplete application may be disapproved.

2. Accepted candidates will be notified when and where to appear for examination. None will be admitted to the examination without official admittance card. If an applicant is rejected, due notice will be sent. The Civil Service Office does not make formal acknowledgment of the receipt of an application. Call the Civil Service Office if you have not received your notice three (3) days before the date of the test.

3. Unless otherwise stated, all candidates are required to be legal residents of Orleans County for one (1) month immediately preceding the date of examination. Appointing authorities may give preference to legal residents of their jurisdiction.

4. For purpose of claiming veteran’s credits on a Civil Service Examination, an applicant must have received an honorable discharge and have served in the armed forces of the United States at any time during the following periods:

 World War II - Dec. 7, 1941 - Dec. 31, 1946                 Lebanon - June 1, 1983 - Dec. 1, 1987

 Korean Conflict - June 27, 1950 - Jan. 31, 1955          Grenada - Oct. 23, 1983 - Nov. 21, 1983

 Viet Nam Conflict – Feb. 28, 1961 - May 7, 1975        Panama - Dec. 20, 1989 - Jan. 31, 1990

 Persian Gulf Conflict - August 2, 1990 - the date upon which such hostilities end.

Credit for Lebanon, Grenada and Panama will be limited to those who received the armed forces expeditionary, the navy expeditionary medal, or the marine corps expeditionary medal.

Veterans: Any candidate claiming veterans' credit or disabled veterans' credit must file their application for examination a certified copy of their Honorable Discharge from the Armed Forces of the United States. Veterans claiming disabiltiy credits must file Form MSD332-VC-3. All candidates filing veteran's credits must file form MSD-332-VC-1.

5. Verification of Qualification: Candidates may be investigated or called for an interview to determine whether they are qualified for appointment.

6. PASSING MARK: Passing mark for examination is 70.

7. Eligible lists will be established in the order of final rating for successful candidates and will be established for a period of one (1) year unless exhausted prior to that date. Lists may be extended by the Personnel Officer not to exceed (4) years. The eligible list resulting rom this examination will be used to fill present and future vacancies in this title.

ORLEANS COUNTY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER!

EXAM FEE:  A fee of $20.00 is required for each separate examination for which you apply. A $20.00 check, money order or cash must accompany the application for examination. The check is to be made payable to Orleans County Civil Service. Write the examination title and number on your check or money order. REFUNDS OF FEES WILL NOT BE ISSUED TO APPLICANTS WHO ARE DISQUALIFIED FOR NOT MEETING THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR ADMITTANCE TO THE EXAMINATION OR WHO DO NOT APPEAR FOR TESTING ON THE SCHEDULED TEST DATE. Therefore, be sure to compare your qualifications carefully with the requirements listed and file only for those examinations for which you clearly qualify and intend to take. We cannot prescreen applications submitted without the fee.

APPLICATION FEE WAIVER: A waiver of application fee will be allowed if you are unemployed and primarily responsible for the support of a household. In addition, a waiver of application fee will be allowed if you are determined eligible for Medicaid, or receiving Supplemental Security Income Payments, or Public Assistance (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families/Family Assistance or Safety Net Assistance) or are certified Job Training Partnership Act/Workforce Investment Act eligible through a State or local social service agency. All claims for application fee waiver are subject to verification. If you can verify eligibility for application fee waiver, complete a “Request for Application Fee Waiver and Certification” form and submit it with your application by the close of business on the Application Deadline as listed on the Examination Announcement.

The “Request for Application Fee Waiver and Certification” may be obtained at the Orleans County Department of Personnel, Orleans County Administration Building, 14016 Route 31 West, Albion, NY 14411. Telephone 589-3184 or 589-2793.

This examination will be prepared and rated by the New York State Department of Civil Service in accordance with Section 23(2) of the Civil Service Law. The provisions of the New York State Civil Service Law, rules and regulations dealing with the preparation and rating of examinations will apply to this examination.

APPLICATIONS: Information and applications may be obtained at the Department of Personnel, Orleans County Administration Building, 14016 Route 31 West, Albion, NY 14411. Telephone 589-2793 or 589--3184. If you wish to have an application mailed to you, send a self-addressed stamped envelope.

Examination to be held at the Albion High School, 302 East Avenue, Albion, NY 14411.

APPLYING FOR CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATIONS IN MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS WHEN EXAMINATIONA ARE SCHEDULED ON SAME DAY - If you have applied for any other Civil Service examinations for employment with New York State or any other local government jurisdiction, you must make arrangements to take all your examinations at one test site. If you have applied for both State and Local government examinations, you must make arrangements to take all your examinations at the State examination center by calling (518) 474-6470 no later than two weeks before the test date.

If you have applied for other local government examinations, call or write to each civil service agency to make arrangements. You must make your request for these arrangements no later than two weeks before the date of the examinations. You must notify all local government civil serivce agenies with whom you have filed an application of the test site at which you wish to take your examination. For this examination call (585) 589-3184 or (585) 589-2793 or write to Orleans County Personnel Office, 14016 Route 31 West, Albion, NY 14411.

APPLICANTS: Please contact this office five (5) days prior to the examination if you hve not been notified by us, as to your eligibility to participate in this examination.

Religious Accommodation – Most written tests are held on Saturdays. If you cannot take the test on the announced test date due to a conflict with a religious observance or practice, check the box under “Religious Accommodation”. We will make arrangements for you to take the test on a different date (usually the following business day).

Disabled Candidates – If special arrangements for testing are required, indicate this on your application form.

Military Members - Candidates who are called to military service after filing an application should send requests for an alternate test date to Orleans County as soon as possible before the test date.

Applications must be postmarked or filed by the closing date for this examination. CANDIDATES MUST RECORD THE EXAMINATION NUMBER AND TITLE ON THE APPLICATION.

NOTICE TO CANDIDATES

Unless otherwise notified, candidates are permitted to use quiet, hand-held, solar or battery powered calculators. Devices with typewriter keyboards, Spell checkers, Personal Digital Assistants, Address Books, Language Translators, Dictionaries, or similar devices are prohibited.

John C. Welch, Jr.

PERSONNEL OFFICER

ISSUED: 06/12/2008

ORLEANS COUNTY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER