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.
Brooklyn Justice Initiatives seeks to reengineer the experience of criminal court in Brooklyn, New York by providing judges and attorneys meaningful alternatives to bail, fines, and jail sentences. Operating out of Kings County Criminal Court, Brooklyn Justice Initiatives is a team of social service providers, court-based resource coordinators, and others who seek to improve the quality of justice. By providing meaningful pre-trial supervised release and post-conviction sentencing options, Brooklyn Justice Initiatives seeks to use an arrest as a window of opportunity to change the direction of a participant’s life and avoid the harmful effects of incarceration.
Brooklyn Justice Initiatives is seeking a Social Worker whose primary focus will be working with individuals who engage in Felony Alternative to Incarceration (Felony ATI) programming by conducting comprehensive clinical assessments and linking individuals to a full range of wrap-around services, including, but not limited to, community-based social services, evidence-based interventions and vocational services. The Social Worker will also be expected to provide coverage for services for an array of court-based programs also operated by Brooklyn Justice Initiatives. This includes the Alternatives to Detention (ATD) and mental health diversion programming, providing both pre and post-plea opportunities for individuals charged with misdemeanors or felonies. Reporting to the Clinical Coordinator, the Social Worker is responsible for providing intakes and assessments, providing comprehensive trauma-informed case management, facilitating psychoeducational groups for high need individuals, and compliance monitoring for individuals with open felony cases. The Social Worker may be called upon to assist with community-based events and attend offsite Brooklyn Justice Initiatives/CCI events.
Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
- Provide comprehensive, clinically-informed case management services to young adult and adult participants (and, where appropriate, their families) that address issues such as substance use, mental health issues, trauma, domestic violence, housing, and educational/vocational needs; and other challenges in client’s life (e.g. new arrests, family court cases and other civil legal issues);
- Conduct comprehensive clinical assessments and provide recommendations to court parties for services and treatment;
- Coordinate and collaborate with a consulting psychiatrist;
- Conduct intakes and needs-based screenings for newly mandated clients;
- Complete scheduling of services for participants both in-person and on the phone;
- Meet with participants in the community, as needed and when appropriate;
- Provide ongoing crisis intervention and de-escalation, as needed;
- Provide Supervised Release Program participants comprehensive, clinically-informed case management services including regular in-person meetings and phone calls as needed, which may include nights and weekends;
- Conduct outreach to collateral sources to promote compliance and court monitoring, as needed;
- Maintain appropriate client information in electronic databases and paper files;
- Make appropriate referrals to community-based organizations for additional services;
- Facilitate coordinated service delivery from on-site agencies and community-based agencies for mandated services and voluntary referrals;
- Establish and maintain linkages with community partners who can provide appropriate interventions and services to court-involved individuals;
- Manage and monitor compliance with treatment mandates, including care coordination with providers;
- Provide written treatment updates for court stakeholders for all court-involved participants;
- Coordinate with court stakeholders on any non-compliance issues and assist clients in getting back into compliance, including re-engaging clients, arranging return on warrants, and implementing graduate responses to encourage future compliance;
- Provide written and verbal participant reports to the court and other court staff (e.g. prosecutors, defense attorneys), as needed;
- Attend court on calendar days to help clients navigate court and collaborate with court staff and stakeholders, as needed;
- Participate in regular interdisciplinary case conferences with court stakeholders;
- Participate in interdisciplinary treatment meetings;
- Facilitate and develop a range of on-site psychoeducational groups and conducting individualized sessions;
- Assist with the development and implementation of new initiatives; including best clinical practices, and appropriate evidence-based interventions;
- Assist with administrative responsibilities including data collection and management, and grant reporting requirements, as needed;
- Provide clinical services as described above to program participants on a voluntary basis post-mandate;
- Attend all required staff meetings and trainings;
- Attend Brooklyn Justice Initiatives’ and community-based events after hours, as needed;
- Additional relevant tasks, as needed.
Qualifications: LMSW, with a minimum of 4 years in criminal justice and/or a related field. Candidates must be currently licensed in New York state. Excellent written skills are a must. Candidate must be a skilled communicator able to work in a multi-disciplinary setting and maintain strong relationships with multiple agencies and organizations both onsite and in the community. Prior experience with the criminal justice system and/or justice-involved communities is a plus – in particular, experience working with youth and young adults, individuals experiencing domestic violence, mental health issues, substance use disorder, and/or homelessness.
Compensation: The compensation range for this position is $59,850 - $70,310 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.