Social Worker

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 Brownsville Community Justice Center (BCJC) is seeking a Social Worker for [B]Ready: The Brownsville Reentry Program. Reporting to the Program Director, the Social Worker will provide pre-release services, evidence-based assessments and interventions, case management services, family engagement, restorative practices, and clinical services. [B]Ready provides a structured, strengths- based community reentry and aftercare continuum for young people, ages 12-18, returning from juvenile detention and residential facilities. 

• Conduct outreach and recruitment of participants into the program, including public presentations;
• Provide family and team group conferences prior to release to collaborate on service planning and engagement;
• Complete intakes of participants and administer Youth Assessment Screening Instrument (YASI) assessment tool;
• Develop programming appropriate for youth who are returning from placement;
• Provide comprehensive, clinically informed case management services to participants;
• Perform individual counseling sessions, as needed;
• Facilitate group sessions with the BCJC Mentors for program participants;
• Conduct family engagement and engage families for wraparound services as needed;
• Plan special events for participants and their families;
• Facilitate restorative justice practices;
• Conduct outreach to collateral sources as needed;
• Submit court reports and appear in court as needed;
• Communicate with service providers to facilitate, follow-up, and assist participants with voluntary service referrals;
• Maintain needed communication with all program partners to ensure proper services are being delivered to all participants;
• Provide oversight and clinical support to all roles within the team, including best practices in various levels of interventions;
• Oversee grant implementation, ensuring all reporting requirements and deliverables are met;
• Assist with data tracking, reporting, and fiscal operations;
• Complete all necessary documentation and input data into computer database;
• Attend staff meetings and on-going trainings as well as participate in community events held by the Brownsville Community Justice Center; and
• Perform additional relevant tasks as needed.

Position Type: Full-time, 11:00AM-7:00 PM. Some evenings and weekends when needed.

Position Location: Brownsville, Brooklyn.

Compensation: The compensation range for this position is $57,500 - $73,500 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.