A professional who provides casework services for inmates of penal or correctional institution. Responsibilities include:

• Interviews inmate and confers with attorneys, judges, and probation officers to compile social history reflecting such factors as nature and extent of inmate's criminality and current and prospective social problems.
• Analyzes collected data and develops and initiates treatment plan.
• Interviews inmate and consults with employees of institution, such as supervisory personnel, clinical psychologist , and clergy member , to evaluate inmate's social progress, and counsels inmate concerning perceived problems.
• Reports inmate's progress and makes recommendations to parole officials.
• Assists inmate with matters concerning detainers, sentences in other jurisdictions, and writs.
• Confers with inmate's family to identify family needs prior to inmate's release.
• Occasionally conducts collective counseling for small groups of inmates.
• Lectures groups of newly admitted inmates to inform them of institution rules and regulations.