State of Maryland

A Commitment Records Specialist Manager is the managerial level of work establishing and maintaining commitment records files and resolving problems in the calculation of adult inmate prison sentences. Employees in this classification ensure compliance with State laws, court orders and the regulations and policies of the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services. Employees interact with the public, inmates, attorneys and officials to provide information and resolve concerns. Employees in this classification supervise Commitment Records Specialist Supervisors and through them Commitment Records Specialists.

Employees in this classification receive managerial supervision from a Warden, Assistant Warden or other designated headquarters staff. The work may be performed in an adult correctional environment. Employees are subject to call-in 24 hours a day and may be required to work on evenings, weekends and holidays.

Positions in this classification are evaluated 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 a class specification. 

The Commitment Records Specialist Manager and the Commitment Records Specialist Supervisor are differentiated on the basis of supervisory responsibility. The Commitment Records Specialist Manager has supervisory responsibility for Commitment Records Specialist Supervisors while the Commitment Records Specialist Supervisor has supervisory responsibility for Commitment Records Specialists.

Manages, through Commitment Records Specialist Supervisors, the operations of the commitment records office in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, policies and procedures;

Plans, coordinates and supervises the work of Commitment Records Specialist Supervisors;

Establishes work priorities and deadlines to meet agency requirements;

Signs Mandatory Release Certificates and Expiration of Sentence Certificates to officially confirm and document release dates and release of inmates from correctional facilities;

Creates and maintains manual and electronic data-based commitment records and files on prison inmates using information from court orders, local detention center records and other official criminal confinement records;

Adjusts the calculations of time that inmates must serve through the application of various credits such as those given for good conduct, industrial assignments, educational assignments, and special project and housing participation as well as discretionary street-time awarded by the Maryland Parole Commission;

Researches the commitment records procedure manual, COMAR, the Annotated Code and State appellate decisions for resolving problems regarding the calculation and documentation of inmate sentences and the maintenance of commitment records files;

Accesses criminal records and information using various online State and national offender systems in calculating inmate sentences;

Posts inmate records to reflect diminution of time credits earned or revoked as well as additional sentences ordered by courts;

Reviews and prepares written summaries of inmates’ time credits earned to assist department attorneys assigned civil actions alleging miscalculation of release dates;

Explains to interested individuals such as judges, attorneys, parole officers, co-workers, and inmates and their families, the calculation of inmate prison sentences and inmate release dates;

Reviews and prepares paperwork that accompanies prisoners who must go to court indicating the original length of their sentence, diminutions of the sentence and the rationale, additional sentences and their release date;

Reviews and prepares forms and letters notifying other jurisdictions, State officials, families of victims and others of the planned time and place of an inmate’s release;

Receives ongoing training regarding changes in laws, regulations, policies and court orders which affect the calculation of inmate sentences and the maintenance of commitment records;

Reviews and prepares reports and correspondence for the signature of the Warden or Assistant Warden pertaining to the calculation of inmate sentences or the release of specific inmates;

May be required to appear in court to explain, under oath, how prison sentences have been calculated;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of the laws, regulations, policies and procedures relevant to the calculation of inmate prison sentences and the maintenance of inmate records;

Knowledge of office equipment and procedures;

Knowledge of basic math necessary to calculate inmate sentences;

Skill in maintaining files, logs and other records;

Skill in explaining the calculation of inmate prison sentences and inmate release dates to inmates and others;

Ability to use online offender sources of information to gather requisite information;

Ability to access and enter information using a keyboard and computer;

Ability to understand, interpret, and apply laws, court orders, detention records, Parole Commission orders, COMAR and departmental regulations and polices in order to make determinations pertaining to the calculation of inmate sentences;

Ability to compose reports, summaries and correspondence; Ability to develop, recommend and implement procedures to improve commitment records operations and procedures;

Ability to plan, organize and manage the work of Commitment Records Specialists through subordinate supervisors;

Ability to communicate effectively with public officials, co-workers, inmates and their families and others in the criminal justice community.

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

Experience: Four years of experience in reviewing, verifying and interpreting information in order to make determinations and resolve problems involving the calculation of prison sentences in accordance with applicable laws, and the regulations and policies of the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services. Two years of this experience must be in supervising the work of Commitment Records staff.

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.