State of Maryland

A Public Defender Intake Specialist Supervisor is the supervisory level of intake work determining client eligibility for representation by the Office of the Public Defender and obtaining initial client information for preparation of case files.  Employees in this classification are responsible for performing the initial stages of trial preparation, gathering or verifying information for the defense of arrested or accused persons and explaining Public Defender services.  Employees in this classification supervise lower-level Public Defender Intake Specialists and support staff.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from an Office Manager or other administrative official.  Work is performed at local public defender offices, jails, detention centers, prisons and the courts of Maryland.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The Public Defender Intake Specialist Supervisor is differentiated from the Public Defender Intake Specialist Lead in that the Public Defender Intake Specialist Supervisor has supervisory responsibility for lower-level Public Defender Intake Specialists while the Public Defender Intake Specialist Lead assigns, reviews and approves the work of and trains lower-level Public Defender Intake Specialists.     

Supervises, schedules, and reviews the work of Public Defender Intake Specialists assigned to a correctional facility, detention center or local public defender office;

Reviews and initials all intake files completed by intake workers in accordance with audit procedures;

Trains new Public Defender Intake Specialists in procedures and techniques for conducting eligibility interviews;

Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with personnel at the various correctional facilities and detention centers in order to cultivate a working rapport;

Functions as liaison between the Intake Division and personnel at the various correctional facilities and detention centers;

Maintains and interprets statistical information concerning caseloads and the number of interviews for walk-in clients and incarcerated individuals;

Assists in the establishment of operational policies within assigned areas of responsibility;

Participates in staff meetings;

Remains abreast of changes in intake and court procedures;

May assist in providing budgetary information;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of interview techniques;

Knowledge of criminal court procedures;

Knowledge of law enforcement procedures;

Knowledge of criminal law;

Ability to plan, organize, and supervise the work of lower-level Public Defender Intake Specialists;

Ability to train new Public Defender Intake Specialists;

Ability to establish operational procedures and evaluate their effectiveness;

Ability to prepare and present intake reports;

Ability to communicate clearly;

Ability to keep statistical records;

Ability to maintain cooperative and effective working relationships with representatives from the various correctional facilities, detention centers, the Office of the State’s Attorney, the courts, various administrative officials, and the general public.

Education:   Graduation from an accredit high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.

Experience: Four years of experience interviewing persons for the purpose of obtaining and verifying background or financial information.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute 60 credit hours from an accredited college or university for six months of the required experience.

2. Candidates may substitute the possession of a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university for up to 18 months of the required experience.

3. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a non-commissioned officer in Compliance Inspection and Support classifications or Compliance Inspection and Support specialty codes in the Inspection, Investigation, Enforcement, and Compliance field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is not assigned to a bargaining unit, as indicated by the designation of S (Supervisor), M (Manager), T (Agency Head), U (Board or Commission Member), W (Student), X (Used by Agency or Excluded by Executive Order), or Z (Confidential).  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.