Court Liaison, Alternative to Detention

Job Description

Job Description

THE ORGANIZATION

The Center for Justice Innovation is a community justice organization that centers safety and racial justice. Since our founding in 1996, the Center has partnered with community members, courts, and the people most impacted to create stronger, healthier, more just communities.

Our decades of experience in courts and communities, coupled with our field-leading research and practitioner expertise, help us drive justice nationwide in innovative, powerful, and durable ways.

For more information on how and where we work, please visit www.innovatingjustice.org.

The Center is a 900-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.

Center Support

A dedicated support team within the Center ensures the smooth functioning of operations across various domains, including finance, legal, technology, human resources, fundraising, real estate, and communications.

Comprising 15% of the organization's staff, these teams provide essential infrastructure support and innovative solutions aligned with the Center's mission and values.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Queens Community Justice Center, launched in 2007, runs a diverse portfolio of programs for justice-involved youth, young adults and their families.

Programming includes alternative-to-detention programs and leadership, clinical, workforce development, gender responsive and family support initiatives.

The Justice Center incorporates evidence-based methods for working with high-risk youth, including positive youth development and restorative justice principles, into its programming.

Ultimately, the goal of the Justice Center is to provide off-ramps from the justice system, to help participants lead a more meaningful life, and to increase public safety.

The Queens Community Justice Center is seeking a Court Liaison for its alternative to detention (ATD) program. Queens Engagement Strategies for Teens (QUEST) ATD provides pre-dispositional supervision and services to court-involved youth (ages 12-18) as an alternative to detention.

QUEST ATD provides supervision and services that are primarily designed to engage youth to plan for their success to prevent or reduce instances of flight resulting in Failure-to-Appear warrants and re-arrests.

Reporting to the Senior Program Manager, the Court Liaison will be present in Queens Family Court to perform intakes, supply information, and respond to inquiries about participants involved with the QUEST alternative-to-detention program.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to :

• Collaborate with judges, court personnel, defense attorneys, and corporation counsel in the Queens Family Court to ensure referrals to the QUEST ATD program;
• Communicate with corporation counsel, defense attorneys, and other court staff about participants eligibility for programs;
• Serve as an in-person representative for the ATD department in court and in person interactions with court staff as well as current and prospective participants;
• Track cases and manage multiple courtroom assignments;
• Conduct intakes and needs-based screenings for newly mandated participants;
• Explain program requirements and expectations to participants;
• Assist with scheduling and rescheduling mandated participants for intakes and a variety of onsite and off-site services;
• Review delinquency cases in court and gather necessary information to determine eligibility;
• Assist participants in court with immediate connection to the ATD staff;
• Ensure that all participants who are mandated to QUEST ATD programming make contact with ATD programming staff;
• Maintain and ensure accuracy of participant information input into electronic client database;
• Maintain good relationships with all participants and partners;
• Assist participants with court reminders and provide relevant information about upcoming court dates;
• Provide written and oral case updates to the court;
• Develop and maintain thriving relationships with community partners and attend community meetings and events which may take place in evenings and on weekends;
• Provide coverage and support to QUEST ATD programming as needed including assisting with curfew calls and after school programming;
• Assist in providing written and verbal case updates to the court and other court staff, including compliance reporting, as needed;
• Provide court coverage for other QCJC Family Court programs, as needed;
• Participate in staff meetings and trainings;
• Attend evening community events and meetings, as needed; and
• Perform other relevant duties to support the Queens Community Justice Center and department activities, as needed.

Qualifications : The ideal candidate will have a Associates degree and a minimum of one year in a related area, preferably as a criminal justice practitioner or 3-4 years’ experience in the criminal justice field as an equivalency.

Bachelor degree preferred. Must be highly organized with an ability to multi-task and work in a fast-paced environment. The ideal candidate will have a willingness and interest in engaging individuals (youth and adult) with mental health and substance abuse needs.

Experience in motivational interviewing is a plus. Candidates must have the ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds in a culturally-competent manner.

Candidates must also be comfortable working with adolescents, adults, and families and be able to communicate appropriately with stakeholders.

Excellent organizational, interpersonal, communication and writing skills required. Bilingual (English-Spanish, or other languages) preferred.

Position Type : Full-time. 9 : 00am-5 : 00pm depending on duration of the court.

Position Location : Queens, NY.

Compensation : The compensation range for this position is $52,000 - $58,000 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.

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