What were Megan’s job responsibilities in her new position? What prior experiences did she bring to her work?

Question

While working as a probation officer for the U.S. District Courts, Megan Romanowski, BSW, was given the task of supervising parolee Robert Sanchez. Robert adjusted well to the community setting—he had a stable job and living situation—and even developed a good working relationship with Megan. But when Robert was involved in another robbery, Megan was forced to make a decision about what to recommend to the judge regarding his sentence.

Answer 1

Megan Romanowski was a twenty-five-year-old social worker. She served as a child protection caseworker for three-and-one-half years at Child Protection Services (CPS) in Wayne County, MI. She considered the job at CPS one of the “most stressful jobs” she ever had. She left her position at CPS because she feared a mental breakdown due to work-related stress. Some of the issues that led to this stress included the emotional trauma of investigating the deaths of three babies.
Following her position in CPS, Megan was hired as a probation officer for the U.S. District Courts. She served in this position in the Eastern District of Michigan. Megan worked in the supervised release services unit and was responsible for the following activities: conducting investigations and evaluations concerning alleged probation; supervising release and/or parole violators; preparing reports for the court with recommendations for offenders who violate conditions of release; conducting preliminary interview hearings on alleged parole violators; supervising persons on probation, parole, and supervised release; maintaining personal contacts with offenders through telephone conversations and office and community visits; referring offenders to outside agencies such as medical and drug treatment facilities, employment agencies, and community resources; implementing supervision plans; providing individual and group counseling; and evaluating progress toward supervision objectives.
Megan also was required to attend a minimum of 40 hours of training each year in the areas of substance abuse, mental health, policies and procedures, and officer safety and firearms training.
To the position, Megan brought work experience with involuntary clients and high-stress situations. She also had to care for her own personal safety in a variety of situations. Megan had to rely on her skills in the areas of oral and written communication, especially as they related to writing reports and providing court testimony.