Human services and community rehabilitation programs
Human services worker is a generic term for people who hold paraprofessional jobs in such diverse settings as group homes and halfway houses; correctional, mental retardation, and community mental health centers; family, child, and youth service agencies; and programs concerned with alcoholism, drug abuse, family violence, and aging.
Depending on the employment setting and the kinds of clients served there, job titles and duties vary a great deal. For instance, in community, mental health or residential care settings, human service workers organize and lead group activities, assist clients in need of counseling or crisis intervention, and administer food bank or emergency fuel programs.
In social service agencies, they help clients through the red tape that surrounds many government entitlement programs. This involves interviewing clients, assessing their needs and establishing their eligibility for services that are available. Major areas of social work practice include child welfare and family services; psychiatric and mental health services; public assistance; medical social work; gerontological social work; school social work; community organization, planning and policy development; and social welfare administration. A growing number of social workers specialize in child or adult protective services. Those in child protective services investigate reported cases of abuse and neglect and intervene if necessary. Workers sometimes institute legal action and remove the child from the home, placing the child, temporarily, in an emergency shelter or with a foster family. Social workers who specialize in adult protective services take similar steps on behalf of adults, typically battered wives, neglected or abused elderly, or mentally impaired individuals. Whenever a social worker helps an individual or a family in crisis, direct counseling is a major part of the job.
Residential counselor
Halfway houses and group homes serve adults who need some supervision or assistance before becoming fully independent. These facilities generally house from five to 15 residents, and in some cases, as many as 40. Drug addicts, alcoholics, parolees and developmentally disabled are some of the groups that use these facilities. Residential counselors are responsible for keeping clients' records up to date and reporting changes in behavior to the supervisor. The counselor must prepare oral and written reports on the condition and progress of each member of the residence and may also be responsible for the financial management of the household, including documenting all household expenditures.
Jobs after graduation
- Case Aide, Jewish Assoc. Services for Aged - Brooklyn, NY
- Case Manager, Salvation Army - Syracuse, NY
- Caseworkers,Catholic Charities - Mexico, NY
- Cayuga Home for Children - Auburn, NY
- Child Care Counselors, Nassau Children's House - New York, NY
- House of Good Shepherd - Utica, NY
- Counselor, Alternative Family Care System - Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
- Community Service Aide, Onondaga Co. Dept. of Social Services - Syracuse, NY
- Director of Center for Homeless Girls Mercy Center Ministries, Inc. - Patchogue, NY
- Financial Aide Counselor, Dutchess Co. Dept. of Social Services Poughkeepsie, NY
- Human Service Worker, Haven House (For Battered Women) - Buffalo, NY
- Program Administrator, Oswego County DWI Program - Oswego, NY
- Program Coordinator, Resolve-A-Center for Dispute Settlement
- Psychiatric Assistant, Nurse Benjamin Rush Center - Syracuse, NY
- Psychiatric Social Worker, Oneida Co. Dept. of Soc. Services - Utica, NY
- Rehabilitation Specialist, Monarch Training Program - Syracuse, NY
- Resident Aide, Oneida Co. Rustic Care Home - Utica, NY
- Residence Counselor, Programs & Domiciles, Inc. - Oneida, NY
- Senior Counselor, New York State Division for Youth - Syracuse, NY
- Social Welfare Examiner, Niagara Co. Dept. of Soc. Services - Buffalo, NY
- Social Workers, Gramm-Widem Foster Care Agency - New York, NY
- Elmcrest Children's Center - Syracuse, NY
- Substance Abuse Counselor Farnham Youth Development Center - Oswego, NYWelfare Examiner, Oswego Co. Dept. of Soc. Services - Mexico, NY
Courts, law and government administration
Paralegal
Also called a legal assistant or sometimes a legal technician, a paralegal is someone who can do everything a lawyer can do, short of arguing a case in court, giving legal advice, accepting clients, setting or accepting legal fees or making legal decisions. They can do all the varied research necessary for the preparation of any legal proceeding, including drafting legal documents, researching points of law and investigating the facts of a case. Some also deal directly with clients and assist the attorney in court, while others do all their work in the office. Employers include law firms, corporate legal departments, government agencies and public service agencies.
Campaign aides
Work on the campaign of a candidate who is running for local, state or national office. Some responsibilities could include direct mailings, phone campaigns, rallies, fundraisers and even door-to-door canvassing. The nature of the job changes to match the progress of the campaign.
Legislative aides
Also called legislative assistants, these aides do work that relates to various bills under consideration. They may write bills, answer correspondence or letters relating to certain bills, or help the member answer questions before committees. They keep track of potential laws or proposals for the member, and do research on how bills will affect the people in the member's home district.
Probation officer
The words probation and parole mean the same thing to many people. In fact, they are different. Probation is a sentence imposed by courts of a criminal jurisdiction. Instead of sending convicted persons to jail or to some jail time followed by community supervision, the court sentences them to probation. They are then under the supervision of a probation officer for a fixed period of time. They follow the orders and conditions of probation imposed by the sentencing courts and report to the probation officer at regular times, as ordered. The probation officer keeps track of the activities of probationers in the community.
Parolees, on the other hand, refers to persons released from prison. It is a kind of supervised release. Parole boards choose inmates they think will benefit from release from prison before they serve their full sentence. Parole officers take charge of these parolees and try to help them make their way to a crime-free life outside prison. Parole officers , like probation officers, supervise the activities of parolees in the community.
Youth counselors
Lead group "rap" sessions and serve as part of a treatment team to provide therapeutic activities for youths. They contact family members, maintain records, evaluate behavior of residents, plan for placement in communities, and conduct remotivation and resocialization programs.
Jobs after graduation
- Campaign Aide, Nick Pirro for Onondaga County Executive
- Canvass Director, Citizen Action of New York - Amityville, NY
- Detention Counselor, Hillbrook Detention Center - Syracuse, NY
- Detention Officer, ElPaso Co. Sheriff's Dept. - ElPaso, Texas
- Juvenile Counselor, Dansville Juvenile Delinquent Home - Dansville, NY
- Legal Assistants, DuPre & Small - Ogdensburg, NY
- John Brandt Law Office - Syracuse, NY
- Legal Secretary, District Attorney's Office - New Rochelle, NY
- Wilson, Elser, Moskowitz, Edelman & Dickes Law Firm - New York, NY
- Hughes, Hubbard & Reed - New York, NY
- Legislative Aide, New York State Assembly - Albany, NY
- Litigation Paralegal Rebow, MacNurry, Hewitt, Maynard & Kristol - NYC
- Paralegal, New York Port Authority - New York, NY
- Amarm, Hahn & Gross Law Firm - Washington, D.C.
- Paine, Swiney & Tarwater - Louisville, Tennessee
- Paralegal, Assistant Pincus, Solomon & Rosenblum - Levittown, NY
- Fish & Neave Law Offices - New York, NY
- Paralegal, Secretary Glen S. Sobel, Esq. - Roslyn Heights, NY
- Probation Officer, New York City Probation Dept. - NYC, NY
- Probation Officer Trainee Oswego County Probation Dept. - Oswego, NY
- New York City Dept. of Probation - Jamaica, NY
- Seneca County Probation Dept. - Waterloo, NY
- Program Analyst/Statistician, State of New York, Division of Criminal Justice
- Youth Counselors, Hillside Children's Center - Rochester, NY
- Youth Development Association - East Northport, NY
- Elmont Youth Outreach - Elmont, NY
- Youth Division Aide, New York State Division for Youth - Auburn, NY
Law enforcement, investigative and corrections
The safety of our nation's cities, towns and highways greatly depends on the work of police, detectives and special agents, whose responsibilities range from controlling traffic to preventing and investigating crimes.
Police and detectives
Often work in small communities have many duties. They may direct traffic at the scene of a fire, investigate a burglary, and give first aid to an accident victim. In large police departments, officers are detailed either to patrol or to traffic duty. Others are experts in chemical and microscopic analysis, firearm identification, and handwriting and fingerprint identification. A few officers may work with special units, such as mounted and motorcycle police, harbor patrols, helicopter patrols, canine corps, mobile rescue teams, and youth aid services.
Detectives and special agents
Are plain-clothes investigators who gather facts and collect evidence for criminal cases. They conduct interviews, examine records, observe the activities of suspects and participate in raids or arrests.
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) special agents
Investigate violations of federal laws in connection with bank robberies, theft of government property, organized crime, espionage, sabotage, kidnapping and terrorism. Special agents employed by the U.S. Department of Treasury work for the U.S. Customs Service; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms; the U.S. Secret Service; and the Internal Revenue Service. Customs agents enforce laws preventing the illegal smuggling of goods across U.S. borders. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents might investigate suspected illegal sales of guns or the underpayment of taxes by a liquor or cigarette manufacturer. U.S. Secret Service Agents protect the President, Vice President and their immediate families; Presidential candidates, ex-Presidents, and foreign dignitaries visiting the U.S. They also investigate counterfeiting, the forgery of government checks or bonds and the fraudulent use of credit cards. Internal Revenue Service special agents collect evidence against individuals and companies that are evading the payment of federal taxes.
State Police officers
Sometimes called state troopers or highway patrol pfficers, these officers patrol highways and enforce laws and regulations that govern their use. They issue traffic citations to motorists who violate the law. At the scene of an accident, they direct traffic, give first aid and call for emergency equipment including ambulances.
Security guards
Also called security officers, these guards patrol and inspect property to protect against fire, theft, vandalism and illegal entry. Their duties vary with the size, type, and location of their employer. Places of employment include office buildings, banks, hospitals, department stores, museums, art galleries, ports, airports, railroads, factories, laboratories, government buildings, data processing centers, military bases, universities, parks, social affairs, sports events, conventions and other public gatherings in armored cars, and as personal bodyguards.
Correctional officers
They are charged with the safety and security of persons who are serving time in a correctional institution. They keep order among inmates and enforce the rules of the prison for the safety, health and protection of the inmates, officers and other workers. They oversee inmates while they eat, bathe, work, sleep, attend classes and take part in sports and other pastimes. Sometimes it is necessary to search inmates and their living quarters for weapons or drugs, to settle disputes between inmates and to enforce discipline.
Claims adjusters
Investigate, negotiate and settle all claims made against an insurance company by its policyholders. They determine whether the policy covers the claim and the amount of the loss. If the company is liable, they negotiate with the claimant and settle valid claims. Some issue checks to valid claimants and others submit their findings to claim examiners.
Jobs after graduation
- Claims Adjusters Continental Insurance Co. - Waltham, Mass.
- Commercial Union Insurance Co. - Jericho, NY
- Claims Investigator Equifax, Inc. (Insurance Co.) - Syracuse, NY
- Confidential Investigator New York City Board of Education - NYC, NY
- Correctional Officers Federal Bureau of Prisons - Terre Haute, Ind.
- Jamesville Penitentiary - Jamesville, NY
- Onondaga Co. Police Dept. - Syracuse, NY
- Criminal Investigator State Department - Georgia
- Deputy Sheriffs Monroe County Sheriff's Dept. - Key West, Fla.
- Arapahoe Co. Sheriff's Dept. - Littleton, Co.
- Monroe County Sheriff's Dept. - Rochester, NY
- Discrimination Investigator U.S. Department of Labor - Syracuse, NY
- Forensic Chemist New York State Police - Albany, NY
- Investigative Coordinator Falvo Private Investigators
- Investigators Oswego Co. Dept. of Social Services - Mexico, NY
- District Attorney's Office - Schenectady, NY
- Loss Prevention Investigator Stone & Webster - Lycoming, NY
- Loss Prevention Manager Jamesway Corporation - Hanover, Maryland
- Loss Prevention Officer Ames - Buffalo, NY
- Police Officers Roanoke City Police Dept. - Roanoke, Virginia
- Suffolk County Police Dept. - Long Is., NY
- City Police Depts. in Oswego, Fulton, Syracuse, Utica, Hamilton & Watertown, NY, Farmington, Conn. & Wilmington, N.C.
- Public Safety Officer, SUNY College at Oswego - Oswego, NY
- Secret Service Special Agent United States Secret Service - Syracuse, NY
- Security Inspector Brookhaven National Labs, Inc. - Upton, NY
- Security Officers/Guards Nine Mile II - Oswego, NY
- Niagara Mohawk Power Corp. - Lycoming, NY
- IBM - White Plains, NY
- Oswego City School District - Oswego, NY
- K-Mart - Cheektowaga, NY
- University of Rochester - Rochester, NY
- Finger Lakes Security Agency - Ithaca, NY
- State Trooper, New York State Police