Social Worker, Safety and Empowerment

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

Bronx Community Solutions (BCS) is seeking a Social Worker for their Safety and Empowerment initiative. BCS, located within the Bronx Criminal Court building, is an initiative that seeks to apply a problem-solving approach to all appropriate cases within the Bronx criminal courthouse. By providing judges with additional sentencing options for non-violent offenders, Bronx Community Solutions reduces the reliance on short-term jail sentences and offers defendants the assistance they need to avoid further criminal conduct.   

Reporting to the Clinical Director, the Social Worker will oversee all sex-trafficking/prostitution-related and gender-based services at BCS. The Social Worker will also support with the facilitation and coordination of brief group intervention for justice-involved individuals as well as conducting clinical assessments, making appropriate treatment referrals, and reporting to court. The intervention is grounded in procedural justice, risk-need-responsivity, and trauma-informed care and is designed to help participants reflect on environmental factors that influence, and often constrain decision-making. The Social Worker will work closely with an interdisciplinary team providing clinical support to the Family Justice Center staff.

• Provide clinical oversight and support to the Frontline Advocate/ Client Navigator;  
• Conduct clinical assessments to identify appropriate alternative to incarceration options for participants affected by gender-based violence and/or human trafficking;  
• Maintain and provide case management updates and memos for all court cases;  
• Assist with administrative responsibilities, including data management, grant reporting and compliance monitoring;  
• Assist in developing resource packages and service referrals to external providers;  
• Assist with grant reporting, data collection, data management, and a range of efforts to enhance the use of technology and data-driven practice;  
• Attend case conferencing meetings and maintain and share referral placement logs;  
• Provide crisis intervention for clients who need immediate assistance accessing safety;  
• Facilitate a range of on-site psychoeducational groups and conduct individual counseling sessions (i.e.- HEAL, Anger Management, Mental Health, etc.);  
• Provide clinical expertise to stakeholders involving trafficking and/or gender-based violence issues;  
• Assist clinical staff and other departments with crisis intervention and de-escalation, as needed;  
• Collaborate closely with managers across other departments and teams within Bronx Community Solutions;  
• Assist with data collection and reporting, quarterly reports, and grant writing, as needed;  
• Additional tasks as necessary.  

Qualifications: LMSW and a minimum of 2 years prior work in criminal justice and/or a related field required. Candidates with a MSW will be required to obtain their license within 90 days of employment. Additional qualifications include:

• Bilingual (English/Spanish) strongly preferred; 
• Excellent written skills are a must; 
• Candidate must have experience working with the commercial sexually exploited population and individuals who have experienced trauma, substance abuse, mental health challenges, domestic violence and/or sexual assault; 
• Familiarity with trauma-informed care practices; 
• Candidate must be skilled communicator able to work in multi-disciplinary setting and maintain strong relationships with multiple agencies and organizations both onsite and in the community; 
• Extensive group facilitation experience required and co-facilitation experience preferred; 
• Experience with drug/alcohol treatment, mental health services, co-occurring disorders, trauma-informed and anti-oppressive practice strongly preferred; 
• Experience facilitating conversations related to identity, oppression, and privilege and must excel at client engagement; 
• Highly organized and excellent time management skills; and 
• Critical thinking skills and ability to manage high-pressure/fast-paced work environment is a plus. 

Position Type: Full time.

Position Location: Bronx, NY. 

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.