Federal Correctional Case Manager

Federal Correctional Case Managers, also called Correctional Treatment Specialists, work for the federal government’s Bureau of Prisons and perform correctional casework duties within a correctional setting. This position is more of a case management position and not involved in law enforcement, although it is always the responsibility of all who work in a federal prison to uphold the security of the prison at all times.  

Federal Correctional Case Managers may specialize in various areas, including but not limited to Drug Abuse Treatment, Specialty Treatment Programs, Reentry Affairs, and Sex Offender Treatment, or they may be classified as a general Case Manager/Correctional Treatment Specialist. If you want to make a difference in the lives of inmates, both while they are incarcerated and to give them an advantage when they are released, read on to discover more about becoming a Federal Correctional Case Manager. 

Case Manager talking to convict.

Job Duties of a Federal Correctional Case Manager

The job responsibilities of a Federal Correctional Case Manager may include:

  • Developing, evaluating and analyzing program needs
  • Conducting group sessions of varying natures
  • Counsel inmates on institutional adjustment, parole commission, release planning, interpersonal communications
  • Help offenders view problems objectively and deal with them realistically
  • Liaison with community resources in developing release plans for inmates
  • Developing, evaluating and analyzing data about inmates
  • Evaluating progress of individual inmates within the correctional facility
  • Coordinating and integrating inmate training programs
  • Developing social histories of inmates
  • Evaluating positive and negative aspects of each inmate’s case situation
  • Prepare inmate progress reports for parole, transfer, etc. and make recommendations
  • Maintain security of facility at all times

Skills and Knowledge that a Federal Correctional Case Manager Should Have

The best Federal Correctional Case Managers are:

  • Responsible
  • Have good interpersonal communication skills
  • Resourceful
  • Knowledgeable
  • Collaborative
  • Organized
  • Have good time management skills
  • Able to delegate
  • Show commitment
  • Kind and courteous
  • Culturally sensitive
  • Understanding
  • Adaptable
  • Good decision makers
  • Persuasive
  • Motivational

Qualifying for a Federal Correctional Case Manager Job

If you wish to qualify for a job as a Federal Correctional Case Managers, you must:

  • Be a U.S. citizen
  • Have a bachelor’s degree (or a combination of 24 semester hours of education in the behavioral and social sciences and experience in casework, counseling or social rehabilitation)
  • Pass a background check
  • Pass medical, physical, psychological and drug testing

Education and Training for Federal Correctional Case Managers

Federal Correctional Case Manager jobs may be at the GS-05, GS-09 or GS-11 level. 

  • At the GS-05 level, you must have earned a bachelor’s degree including 24 semester hours of courses in behavioral and social science, such as:
    • Correctional administration
    • Sociology
    • Criminal justice
    • Psychology
    • Government or political science
    • Counseling
    • Social work
  • At the GS-09 level, you must have completed two years of progressively higher graduate level education leading to a master’s degree, and have one year of specialized experience in casework, counseling or work in social rehabilitation, equivalent to the GS-07 level. 
  • At the GS-11 level, you must have three years of progressively higher graduate level education leading to a doctoral degree. You must also have one years of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level.

Salaries and Jobs for Federal Correctional Case Managers

Salaries for Federal Correctional Case Managers start at the GS-05 level, which begins at $31,083/year and rises to $40,407/year. The next level of Federal Correctional Case Manager jobs starts at GS-09, with salaries ranging from $47,097/year to $61,237/year. Finally, the highest level of Federal Correctional Case Manager jobs is GS-11, ranging from $56,983/year to $74,074/year. Here are some examples of recently advertised Federal Correctional Case Manager jobs that were available as of May 2022:

  • Correctional Treatment Specialist (Drug Abuse Treatment Specialist), Bastrop, TX
    • Salary starting at $57,816/year (GS 09-11)
  • Correctional Treatment Specialist (Reentry Affairs Coordinator), Philadelphia, PA
    • Salary starting at $72,340/year (GS 11)
  • Correctional Treatment Specialist (Specialty Treatment Program Specialist- Resolve Program), Carswell, TX
    • Salary starting at $71,616/year (GS 11)
  • Correctional Treatment Specialist (Case Manager), Bastrop, TX
    • Salary starting at $51,838/year (GL 07-09)
  • Correctional Treatment Specialist (Case Manager), Leavenworth, KS
    • Salary starting at $57,266/year (GS 09-11)

Resources for Federal Correctional Case Managers

The following resources may be of interest to Federal Correctional Case Managers or to those who aspire to this career: