Criminal Justice Specialist Series
California State Personnel Board Specification
Series established February 5, 1970
Scope
This series specification describes three classes used in planning, developing, coordinating, implementing, and providing support to criminal justice agencies, victim service organizations, and crime prevention programs.
Incumbents in these classes work closely with a wide variety of individuals and organizations involved in criminal justice activities such as law enforcement, prosecution, probation, schools, victim services, and training for the development and management of criminal justice grant programs.
Definition of Series
A Criminal Justice Specialist advises and assists State agencies, local government, and private, nonprofit organizations involved in planning and implementing programs for crime prevention, crime suppression, and victim services; develops requests for proposals and program guidelines; makes analyses of, and recommendations on, proposals for grants of financial assistance according to established requirements, State and local needs, and the potential impact of the proposed program; monitors approved projects to assure conformity with the grant award agreement and other requirements; provides technical assistance to grant recipients during the course of projects; acts as the staff representative of the office at meetings of local government agencies and other organizations; may serve as the staff expert on other State and Federal programs which are concerned with crime and crime-related problems; act as liaison between the office and agencies which administer related programs; develops and presents educational and informational programs related to criminal justice; conducts legislative analyses; provides advice to the executive staff; and does other related work.
Factors Affecting Position Allocation
Factors that affect the level of positions include: the scope of responsibility, complexity of work, independence of action, supervision received and exercised, and the degree to which the advice of the specialist is sought and accepted by top management of the office and administrative officials of other organizations.
Entry Level
Entry into this series is typically from positions in or outside the State service that provide analytical, administrative, or direct service experience in an organization which has as its prime objective the funding of projects for the prevention or suppression of crime, or the provision of services to victims of crime. Entry into this series may also be through the general class of Staff Services Analyst.
Definition of Levels
Assistant Criminal Justice Specialist
This is the first working level in this series. Persons assigned to positions in this class perform professional level analytical work of average difficulty and provide consultative services to State and local officials and others.
Criminal Justice Specialist I
This is the full journeyperson level. Incumbents independently perform the more responsible, varied, and complex analytical staff work and provide consultation and advice to management, representatives of governmental agencies, and private, nonprofit organizations. Incumbents typically are assigned independent responsibility for program maintenance and coordinate the efforts of representatives of various governmental agencies or private, nonprofit organizations. The majority of positions are permanently allocated to this level.
Criminal Justice Specialist II (Technical)
Incumbents work independently if in charge of developing a complex project, or if they are serving as the office expert for a very complex project which requires a close working relationship with high-level officials, or serve as the superjourney level technical expert in a Branch or Division.
Minimum Qualifications
Assistant Criminal Justice Specialist
Either I
Experience: Eighteen months of experience in the California state service performing the duties of a Staff Services Analyst. (Applicants who have completed 12 months of service as a Staff Services Analyst will be admitted to the examination, but they must satisfactorily complete 18 months of experience performing the duties of a Staff Services Analyst before they can be considered eligible for appointment.)
Or II
Experience: One year of staff work above the trainee level in a criminal justice or victim service program involving responsibility for program planning and development; or the coordination of two or more major criminal justice programs. and
Education: Equivalent to graduation from college. (Additional qualifying experience may be substituted for a maximum of two years of the required education on a year-for-year basis.)
Criminal Justice Specialist I
Either I
Experience: One year of experience in the California state service performing duties equivalent to an Assistant Criminal Justice Specialist or a Staff Services Analyst, Range C, in a criminal justice or victim service program.
Or II
Experience: One year of experience at the journeyperson level or above performing staff work in a criminal justice or private nonprofit organization providing crime prevention, crime suppression, or victim services involving responsibility for research, program planning, and development or the coordination of two or more major programs (line experience, whether supervisory or nonsupervisory, with primary emphasis on routine service delivery, such as casework, custody, or patrol responsibilities will be carefully reviewed to determine an appropriate level of experience). or
Experience: One year of full-time experience at the journeyperson level with responsibility for crime prevention or crime suppression programs, specifically working with street gangs, drug abusers, prosecution, or crime analysis; or victim services, including victim/witness, sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, et. al. and
Education: Equivalent to graduation from college. (Additional qualifying experience may be substituted for a maximum of two years of the required education on a year-for-year basis.)
Criminal Justice Specialist II (Technical)
Either I
Experience: One year of experience in the California state service performing duties equivalent to a Criminal Justice Specialist I in a crime prevention, crime suppression, or victim services program. or
Experience: Two years of experience in the California state service performing duties equivalent in level to an Assistant Criminal Justice Specialist or a Staff Services Analyst, Range C, in a criminal justice or victim service program.
Or II
Experience: Two years of experience at the journeyperson level or above, performing staff work in a criminal justice, crime prevention, crime suppression, or victim services program, specifically working with street gangs, drug abusers, prosecution, or crime analysis; or victim services, including victim/witness, sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, et. al. (line experience, supervisory or nonsupervisory, with primary emphasis on routine service delivery, such as casework, custody, or patrol responsibilities will be carefully reviewed to determine an appropriate level of experience). and
Education: Equivalent to graduation from college. (Additional qualifying experience may be substituted for a maximum of two years of the required education on a year-for-year basis.)
Knowledge and Abilities
All Levels:
Knowledge of: Causes, nature, extent, and methods of preventing and suppressing crime; sources of information on crime, drug abuse, juvenile delinquency, and other crime and victim-related issues; organization, objectives, programs, standards, policies, and procedures of public and private nonprofit organizations dealing with crime, delinquency, or victims, including law enforcement agencies, criminal and juvenile courts, probation departments, and public and private nonprofit treatment centers; criminal law and court decisions; modern developments in related research; community organizations and resources; sources and methods of financial assistance for application to programs related to the prevention and suppression of crime and victim services; techniques of effective conference planning.
Ability to: Gain and maintain the respect, confidence, and cooperation of a wide variety of officials and other persons contacted in the work; analyze complex information and problems and develop creative and effective solutions; present information and ideas effectively; plan, organize, lead, and coordinate the work of individuals and teams of persons from a variety of disciplines and interests; grasp ideas and information quickly and accurately; provide sound advice to others; plan and present conferences.
Special Personal Requirements
All Levels:
Demonstrated ability to act independently, tact, open-mindedness, flexibility, adaptability, and a willingness to work irregular hours and travel extensively.
Class History
