Specialist, Rapid Engagement - New York, United States - Center for Justice Innovation

Description

THE ORGANIZATION

The Center for Justice Innovation (formerly the Center for Court Innovation) is a non-profit organization that works with communities and justice systems to advance equity, increase safety, and help individuals and communities thrive. The Center's goal is to identify and resolve as early as possible the challenges that bring people into the criminal and civil legal systems. It does this in a number of ways-by developing and running programs that reduce the need for incarceration and enhance economic opportunity, conducting original research to identify what works, and sharing what we learn from our programming and research with those seeking to transform the justice system around the world.

The Center is an 800-employee, $100 million nonprofit that accomplishes its vision through three pillars of work: creating and scaling operating programs to test new ideas and solve problems, performing original research to determine what works (and what doesn't), and providing expert assistance and policy guidance to justice reformers around the world.

Operating Programs

The Center's operating programs, including the award-winning Red Hook Community Justice Center and Midtown Community Justice Center, test new ideas, solve difficult problems, and attempt to achieve systemic change within the justice system. Our projects include community-based violence prevention programs, alternatives to incarceration, reentry initiatives, and court-based initiatives that reduce the use of unnecessary incarceration and promote positive individual and family change. Through this programming, we have produced tangible results like safer streets, reduced incarceration, and improved neighborhood perceptions of justice.

Research

The Center's research teams are staffed with social scientists, data analysts, and lawyers who are academically-trained or have lived experience and who conduct research in the U.S. and globally on diverse criminal-legal system and justice issues. Their work includes evaluating programs and policies; conducting exploratory, community-based studies; and providing research translation and strategic planning for system actors. The Center has published studies on topics including court and jail reform, intimate partner violence, restorative justice, gun violence, reentry, sixth amendment rights, and progressive prosecution. The research teams strive to make their work meaningful and actionable to the communities they work with, policymakers, and practitioners.

Policy & Expert Assistance

The Center provides hands-on, planning and implementation assistance to a wide range of jurisdictions in areas of reform such as problem-solving courts (e.g., community courts, treatment courts, domestic violence courts), tribal justice, reducing incarceration and the use of fines/fees and reducing crime and violence. Our current expert assistance takes many forms, including help with analyzing data, strategic planning and consultation, policy guidance, and hosting site visits to its operating programs in the New York City area.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Launched in 1993, the award-winning Midtown Community Justice Center is one of the country's first problem-solving courts. Seeking to reduce crime and incarceration and increase public trust in justice, the Midtown Community Justice Center works with neighborhood stakeholders to improve Midtown Manhattan. The court responds creatively to low-level offending, seeking alternatives that are restorative to the community. In keeping with that goal, Midtown also operates upstream programming to divert adults and young people from prosecution.

The Center for Justice Innovation operates Project Reset, New York City's pre-arraignment diversion program, city-wide. Operating in collaboration with the New York Police Department, District Attorney's Offices, and the Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice, Project Reset seeks to create a proportionate response to low-level crime by avoiding the use of incarceration and the potential harms associated with the traditional criminal justice process. Traditionally, Project Reset participants complete programming in advance of their court date in lieu of prosecution. Recently, the Midtown Community Justice Center began offering Rapid Reset, which offers the same diversion opportunity to Project Reset-eligible people who show up to court.

Midtown Community Justice Center is seeking a Specialist, Rapid Engagement. The Specialist, Rapid Engagement will serve as the first point of contact for Project Reset-eligible individuals and their legal representation. The Specialist, Rapid Engagement will lead the program's efforts to rapidly engage clients eligible for pre-arraignment diversion referred from the court for same day programming in collaboration with staff from Reset partners and the Center's downtown Manhattan project, Manhattan Justice Opportunities. The Specialist, Rapid Engagement will conduct intakes and assessments, schedule programming, update compliance, and facilitate off-ramps from programming, as well as build awareness of the program among potential participants and legal and court stakeholders. The Specialist, Rapid Engagement will also support the Project Reset team with regular operations, as needed, including conducting outreach and leading groups, and/or case management sessions. While supporting Project Reset programming at the Midtown Community Justice Center, the Specialist, Rapid Engagement will work closely with Midtown's alternative-to-incarceration and court operations teams.

Reporting to the Project Reset Program Coordinator, the Specialist, Rapid Engagement will be staffed on the Midtown Community Justice Center's Diversion team, work closely with its Alternative-to-Incarceration team, and also with the Manhattan Justice Opportunities' court-based staff. The Specialist, Rapid Engagement may also be called upon to support other programs and initiatives at Midtown Community Justice Center and Manhattan Justice Opportunities as needed.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Connect with Project Reset-eligible individuals who appear at arraignments and describe the diversion option, conduct an initial intake and screening, and connect them to same-day programming;
• Coordinate diversion operations and on-ramps into programming for participants eligible to complete Rapid Reset and same-day programming in collaboration with Alternative-to-Incarceration, Project Reset, and court-based staff;
• Liaise with court stakeholders;
• Work with the Manhattan District Attorney's Office (DANY), defense agencies, court partners, and Manhattan Justice Opportunities staff to identify eligible Project Reset participants;
• Assess clients for needs and group readiness, and schedule them for the appropriate group-based or individual programming;
• Conduct outreach to participants to schedule for traditional Project Reset programming, remind scheduled participants of their appointments, and troubleshoot barriers to compliance;
• Provide comprehensive, strengths-based case management to help participants address issues such as substance use, mental health, trauma, domestic violence, housing, and vocational goals;
• Maintain organized records of outreach attempts, daily attendance sheets, program completion, and other project details;
• Maintain accurate electronic records in the Center's internal case management system and in a database shared with project partners;
• Prepare and circulate outreach materials and certificates of program completion;
• Work with Midtown Community Justice Center's clinical staff and Case Managers to refer participants to voluntary social services;
• Facilitate or co-facilitate group-based programming when needed;
• Identify and cultivate potential referral sources for program participants;
• Participate in staff meetings, team-building exercises, trainings, and site visits;
• Participate in limited evening and weekend community meetings, events, and programming, as needed;
• Additional tasks as necessary.

Qualifications: The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor' degree and 2-3 years of experience or a high school diploma or equivalent with at least 4-5 years of experience working in social service and/or criminal justice settings. Other qualifications include:

• Experience in a court or criminal justice setting preferred;
• Experience and/or comfort working with both adolescents and adults required;
• Knowledge and/or lived experience related to the criminal justice system and its impacts strongly preferred;
• Highly organized, with a strong commitment to systems, process and data collection;
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written;
• Human services or customer service experience preferred;
• Bilingual (Spanish-English) required;
• Knowledge of community-based resources throughout New York City is helpful;
• Candidates must be willing and able to work collaboratively with colleagues and a variety of court personnel and partner agencies in a high-pressure/fast paced work environment;
• Must also be self-motivated and able to complete responsibilities independently;
• Experience and commitment to creating, promoting, and maintaining a respectful, inclusive, and anti-racist work environment.

Position Type: Full-time.

Position Location: Manhattan, NY, specifically the Midtown Community Justice Center (314 W 54th Street, New York, NY and the New York County Criminal Court (100 Centre Street, New York, NY

Compensation: The compensation range for this position is $ $35.71 per hour based on a 35-hour work week and is commensurate with experience. The Center for Justice Innovation offers an excellent benefits package including comprehensive healthcare with a national network, free basic dental coverage, vision insurance, short-term and long-term disability, life insurance, and flexible spending accounts including commuter FSA. We prioritize mental health care for our staff and offer services like Talkspace and Ginger through our healthcare plans. We offer a 403(b) retirement plan with a two-to-one employer contribution up to 5%.

The Center for Justice Innovation is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace, and as such, we do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, national origin, age, military service eligibility, veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, or any other category protected by law. We strongly encourage and welcome applications from women, people of color, members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities, as well as individuals with prior contact with the criminal justice system. Our aim is to create a supportive and respectful environment where every individual, irrespective of their background or identity, feels valued and included.

As of February 10, 2023, New York City Executive Order 25 rescinded the requirement of the COVID-19 vaccination for City workers, new hires, and contracted employees. Accordingly, the Center does not require all new hires be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus; however, the Center recommends all staff, interns, and volunteers stay up-to-date on the vaccination.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete an employment eligibility verification document form upon hire. Kindly refer to the job posting for the relevant contact information. If the contact details are not provided, we kindly ask that you refrain from making inquiries via phone or email, as only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.