Resource Coordinator

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, $130 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

Brooklyn Justice Initiatives (BJI), a program of the Center for Justice Innovation, offers people an opportunity to change the direction of their lives. The program transforms how people navigate the legal process of criminal court in Brooklyn, NY, and helps them avoid the harmful effects of incarceration. It provides meaningful early diversion, supervised release for people awaiting trial, and alternative sentencing options. 

BJI is seeking a Resource Coordinator to serve as a court navigator and liaison for all diversion programming. Reporting to the Senior Resource Coordinator for our Alternative to Incarceration (ATI) department, the Resource Coordinator will facilitate the referral process by reviewing all available information about each potential participant to determine their suitability for each curriculum. Once participants are enrolled in programming, the Resource Coordinator is responsible for regularly providing both written and verbal compliance updates to all court parties in the Brooklyn Criminal Court and Kings County Supreme Court. This includes defense attorneys, assistant district attorneys, and judges. Additionally, the Resource Coordinator is responsible for providing court coverage to both courthouses, including specialized court initiatives and arraignments. Specific responsibilities include conducting screenings and referrals with participants for all programming, facilitating compliance reporting other processes with court stakeholders, and troubleshooting any issues that arise.

• Communicate with judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and other court staff about eligibility for specific diversion programming; 
• Serve as a liaison in the arraignment, all-purpose, treatment, and trial court parts to determine eligibility for all operating programs between Kings County Criminal and Supreme Criminal Court;
• Work closely with defense attorneys and Assistant District attorneys to identify individuals who may avoid court or jail time by engaging in diversion programming; 
• Execute crisis intervention protocols to ensure participant safety and connection to appropriate services;
• Establish and maintain relationships with local social service providers present in the courthouse; and
• Collaborate with a broad range of criminal justice, city government, and community partners.

• Provide written and verbal case updates in multiple court parts and to court staff, including compliance and rearrest reporting;  
• Maintain accurate and appropriate participant information in electronic databases and hard files, including court assessment, screening, and outcome information;
• Collaborate with Compliance and Clinical staff to conduct routine audits to ensure accuracy of referral and court related information; and
• Assist with data collection and management.

• Work closely with the court operations team, management, and other departments to ensure smooth daily operations at BJI;
• Assist with the implementation and maintenance of protocols and procedures;
• Collaborate with Supervised Release program staff in cross-program areas, as needed;
• Attend BJI meetings and events after hours, as needed;
• Attending all required staff meetings and trainings, as needed; and
• Support with other relevant tasks/responsibilities, as needed.

Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s 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;
• Proficiency in Microsoft Suite, Google Suites, and Outlook, and able to use Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Slack;
• Professional demeanor and ability to communicate appropriately with judges and other court personnel; 
• Highly organized, excellent communication skills, and strong writing ability with the capacity to be detail-oriented within a fast-paced, dynamic environment;
• Ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds in a culturally competent manner;  
• Knowledge of courthouse operations and legal proceedings/terminology is a plus; and
• Bilingual (English-Spanish) preferred.

Position Type: Full-time, in person, working Monday - Friday, 9:00am - 5:00pm, working evenings and nights as needed.

Position Location: Brooklyn, NY.

Compensation: The compensation range for this position is $52,000 - $62,500 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 committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We do not discriminate based on 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 LGBTQ+ community, and individuals with prior contact with the criminal justice system. Our goal is to create a supportive and respectful environment where everyone, regardless of background or identity, feels valued and included.

At this time, the Center does not sponsor or support any immigration status, which includes supporting or completing any foreign student training plan. All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of application and throughout the duration of employment.

Candidates are expected to provide accurate and truthful information throughout the hiring process. Any misrepresentation, falsification, or omission of material facts may result in disqualification from consideration, withdrawal of an offer, or termination of employment, regardless of when discovered.

As of February 10, 2023, New York City Executive Order 25 rescinded the COVID-19 vaccination requirement for City workers, new hires, and contracted employees. While the Center does not require vaccination, we strongly recommend that all staff, interns, and volunteers stay up to date.

In compliance with federal law, all hires must verify their identity and eligibility to work in the United States and complete the required employment verification form upon hire. Please refer to the job posting for relevant contact information. If contact details are not provided, we kindly ask that you refrain from inquiries via phone or email, as only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.