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.
Queens Community Justice Center (QCJC)
Queens Community Justice Center (QCJC) operates an array of programming for local youth, with a particular focus on engaging those with justice involvement. Current initiatives include Youth Impact (peer-led restorative youth diversion program), an alternative-to-detention program, an alternative to incarceration program, workforce development initiatives, a trauma-informed, survivor-centered program for youth who are at risk of commercial sexual exploitation, and several mentorship programs. By offering positive pro-social programming for young people, QCJC aims to stop the cycle of delinquency and crime for adolescents and reduce reliance on detention. The comprehensive programming offers all participating young people leadership development and service opportunities designed to promote positive engagement in their communities.
THE OPPORTUNITY
The Queens Community Justice Center is seeking to hire an Administrative and Data Specialist for a community-based violence prevention program that aims to reduce violent recidivism through intensive and voluntary therapeutic services. This program is part of the Atlas initiative and uses the evidence-based Functional Family Therapy (FFT) model to engage young people and their families in holistic anti-violence services.
Atlas works to prevent violence by meeting people during a crisis, like a recent arrest or open court case and connecting them to a change process that nurtures hope and strengthens relationships. As part of Atlas, CBO is offering FFT to young people at elevated risk for violence in the community, victimization, or a re-arrest. FFT is an evidence-based intervention for youth and families. This high-quality, strength-focused family counseling model is designed for high-risk youth and young adults who have been referred by the criminal court, juvenile justice, mental health, school, or child welfare systems. Services are short-term and typically offered in the home, though services can be offered in the office or other community settings.
The Administrative and Data Specialist, reporting to the Clinical Supervisor, will be primarily responsible for facilitating the program referral process to its FFT programming, including reviewing all available information about each potentially eligible participant to determine their suitability for programming. The Administrative and Data Specialist must be intimately acquainted and well-versed in the FFT program and services offered by QCJC. Specific responsibilities include conducting screenings with participants and ensuring referrals meet criteria for participation facilitating participant releases and other processes and troubleshooting any issues that arise. In addition, the Administrative and Data Specialist must establish close connections with other departments, criminal justice agencies & community organizations on behalf of Queens Community Justice Center.
Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
- Complete intake process, including retrieving referrals from all referral sources including the Atlas Engagement Database and QCJC internal referral system; ensuring referrals meet Atlas criteria and eligibility for participation, communicating with referral partners to troubleshoot any issues that arise;
- Assign families to the appropriate therapist in a timely manner;
- Communicate with judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and court staff about eligible individuals’ suitability for FFT programming;
- Collaborate with a broad range of criminal justice, city government, and community partners;
- Assist with scheduling and rescheduling participants for FFT services;
- Execute crisis intervention protocols to ensure participant safety and connection to appropriate services;
- Assist the therapists in providing written and verbal case updates to the court and other court staff as needed;
- Assist with data collection, input, and management. Maintain appropriate participant information in electronic CSS database;
- Assist with all FFT reporting;
- Attend required staff meetings and trainings;
- Attend community-based events after hours, as needed; and
- Assisting with other administrative tasks, as necessary.
Qualifications: The ideal candidate will have a
- Bachelor’s degree and at least three years of experience working in a criminal or juvenile court setting and/or juvenile justice field;
- Ability to communicate appropriately with varying levels of stakeholders;
- Highly organized, excellent communication skills, and strong writing ability with the capacity to be detail-oriented within a fast-paced, dynamic environment highly desired;
- Candidate must be proficient in Microsoft and Google Suites, Slack, and be able to use Skype for Business;
- Candidates must be willing and able to work collaboratively with a variety of court personnel and on-site partner agencies in a high-pressure/fast-paced work environment;
- The ideal candidate will have the ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds in a culturally competent and gender-affirming manner;
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively, both in-person and remotely; and
- Bilingual Spanish-speaking preferred.
Position Type: Full-time, must be willing to work weekend and evening hours as required.
Position Location: Queens, NY
Compensation: The compensation range for this position is $60,000 - $65,000 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%.
Note: This compensation range is required by the funder.
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.