THE ORGANIZATION
The Center for Court Innovation is committed to reducing crime and incarceration, addressing violence, supporting survivors, and building communities while strengthening public trust in justice. The Center seeks justice for marginalized groups, bringing an equity lens – particularly a racial and gender equity lens – to its work. For 25 years, the Center has worked to foster justice and equity to create safe, healthy, and thriving communities and, ultimately, to transform the justice system.
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 Court, 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
Researchers at the Center conduct independent evaluations, documenting how government systems work, how neighborhoods function, and how reform efforts change things. We believe in the “action research” model; accordingly, our researchers provide regular feedback on the results of the Center’s own operating programs. The Center has published studies on topics including youth in the sex trade, reentry, gun violence, and drug treatment as an alternative to incarceration. Our researchers have been published in numerous peer-reviewed journals.
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
The Bronx Community Justice Center (BxCJC), one of the Center's newest projects, works to create a safer, more equitable Bronx through community-driven safety initiatives, violence prevention, youth opportunity, and economic development efforts.
The Bronx Community Justice Center is seeking a Coordinator, Social Work to work with our Youth Initiatives. Reporting to the Senior Youth Programs Manager, the Social Work Coordinator will provide and coordinate therapeutic and individual support services, supervise social work interns, as well as support group programming and community-based projects in collaboration with young people living in the South Bronx.
Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
- Provide individual counseling and support to young people, with a focus on young people who have been most impacted by community violence;
- Provide holistic advocacy and case management;
- Provide crisis intervention support to social worker staff;
- Create a plan to support violence prevention Outreach Workers and Violence Interrupters to engage and support individuals most impacted by community violence;
- Create innovative group programming to support community care and wellness;
- Facilitate a range of workshops and programming to support young people;
- Support community wellness and healing through community-based events and activations;
- Form partnerships with community stakeholders, organizations, and agencies to strengthen systems of support for participants;
- Plan group curricula and facilitate therapeutic group sessions for participants;
- Provide clinical supervision to staff and social worker interns;
- Lead case conferencing meetings with non-clinical case management staff, as needed;
- Participate in agency staff meetings, self-care activities and trainings;
- Work collaboratively with an interdisciplinary team of violence interrupters, outreach workers, and community programs staff;
- Participate in promotion of programmatic resources, community outreach, and community engagement;
- Canvass community alongside the Save Our Streets South Bronx team and other staff at the BxCJC;
- Attend community stakeholder meetings, including community board, resident association, precinct council, and other related recurring meetings;
- Additional relevant tasks, as needed.
Qualifications:
- LMSW required with at least two years of relevant social work and individual practice experience;
- SIFI certified or eligible;
- Supervisory experience required;
- Candidate must have at least 4 years of experience working with youth;
- Commitment to anti-oppressive practice and creating space that centers BIPOC communities;
- Commitment to youth-led practice and belief in the innate capacity of youth to positively impact their community;
- Extremely punctual and reliable, highly organized and detail-oriented;
- Strong problem solving skills;
- Excellent written & verbal communication skills;
- Ability to work evenings & weekends, as needed;
- Knowledge of youth engagement, victimization, community violence and intimate partner violence necessary;
- Understanding of the criminal justice system, ACS, and other related institutions;
- Understanding of Cure Violence projects desirable;
- Must be able to work in a fast-paced environment and as part of a team;
- Experience with individual case management and counseling;
- Understanding of complex trauma reactions;
- Experience working with youth and families from marginalized communities and youth who have been impacted by criminal legal systems.
Compensation: Salary starts at $61,500 and is commensurate with experience. The Center for Court 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 Court Innovation is an equal opportunity employer. The Center does 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 seek 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.
As of September 9, 2021, all new hires are required to be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus, unless they have been granted a reasonable accommodation for medical, disability or religious reasons by the Center’s Human Resources Department.
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. Only applicants under consideration will be contacted. No phone calls please.