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 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

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

Brooklyn Justice Initiatives seeks to re-engineer 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 (BJI), is seeking a Senior Social Worker it's Supervised Release Program's Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Track. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to and develop a new track within the Supervised Release Program. The Senior Social Worker will be primarily responsible for monitoring a small caseload of participants with IPV-related charges, referring participants to voluntary social service interventions, and helping promote compliance with pretrial release conditions. The Senior Social Worker will provide direct supervision to social workers and case managers on their team. The Senior Social Worker will also facilitate group and individual supervision and assist program staff in the development and implementation of onsite services for participants.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Complete intakes and administer risk and needs assessment tools to participants admitted to the IPV track;
• Provide weekly individual supervision and conduct routine case audits for IPV-track social workers and case managers;
• Assist with crisis management and intervention;
• Provide comprehensive, clinically-informed case management services to participants to help address issues such as intimate partner violence, substance abuse, mental health, trauma, and housing; this may include communication with clients on nights and weekends;
• Perform voluntary individual counseling sessions, as needed;
• Conduct outreach to collateral sources to provide supervision and court monitoring, as needed;
• Communicate with community-based service providers to facilitate, follow-up and assist participants with voluntary service referrals;
• Complete all necessary documentation and input data into computer database;
• Monitor and report compliance to court stakeholders and work with defense and district attorneys to bring program participants into compliance, as needed;
• Attend staff meetings and on-going trainings as well as participate in community events;
• Provide Alternative to Incarceration (ATI) clinical services to mandated participants, as needed;
• Assist program staff with the development and implementation of on-site programming that is responsive to participants’ needs;
• Develop and facilitate trainings for staff;
• Implement strategies for addressing personal and staff vicarious trauma;
• Engage with management to support staff and build infrastructure;
• Assist with data collection;
• Assist with other programming, as needed.

Qualifications:

• LMSW or have an equivalent master's level counseling degree, plus 3 years of relevant combined professional and/or life experience, including at least 2 years of post-MSW experience;
• SIFI certification is a plus;
• Prior supervisory experience preferred;
• Excellent written skills are a must.
• Prior experience working with individuals impacted by intimate personal violence required;
• 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;
• Ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds in a culturally-responsive manner is a must;
• Prior experience with the criminal justice system and/or justice-involved communities is preferred; and
• Specialized experience working with individuals experiencing mental health issues, substance abuse, and/or homelessness is a plus.

Position Type: Full-time, able to work nights or weekends.

Compensation: The compensation range for this position is $68,040 to $78,250 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. 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 or emails please.

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