Court Representative (Night Shift)

NYC Criminal Justice Agency • New York, NY

7d • Onsite

About The Position

Court Representatives are the first point of contact with CJA services. They coordinate release with court partners, orient newly released participants, and present program eligibility and obligations to both court stakeholders and participants.

The Night Shift QSRP Court Representative role is based at Queens Criminal Court during evening and weekend arraignment hours (Wednesdays through Sunday, 5pm to 1am). This role serves as primary CJA contact during night arraignments and provides critical support to participants following a highly challenging period- immediately following arrest, detention and arraignment. This position works collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team of court representatives, court-based social workers, and acts as a vital link between the court and the CJA Case Management team. Success in this role requires the ability to perform effectively in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment, both independently and within a team structure.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree, required.
• Minimum of 2 years’ experience working withing the criminal legal system, direct service delivery or working with those impacted by the legal system. Current CJA employees with at least 2 years of experience as a Pretrial Associate or Court Services Coordinator are encouraged to apply
• Ability to obtain Office of Court Administration (OCA) Secure Pass for court access
• Strong understanding of the criminal legal system, including its structure, procedures, and NYS bail reform statutes, with the ability to explain those processes- such as bail proceedings, court appearance, orders of protection- to justice impacted individuals in a clear and accessible way.
• Knowledge of trauma informed principles and ability to support individuals in acute distress
• Experience working with individuals impacted by the legal system, unhoused or have behavioral health needs.
• Excellent communication skills with the strong ability to remain calm and professional under pressure.
• Detail oriented, thorough and accurate in completion of all documentation
• Computer proficiency in entering participant’s information into databases with the ability to quickly adapt to changing technology
• Ability to effectively navigate and use Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Outlook.
• Proficient in the use of video technology to virtually appear in court as needed
• Please note: Must be available to work during the night shift (5pm to 1am) including holidays as the program operates 7 days per week, 365 days a year.

Nice To Haves

• Bilingual applicants (fluency in Spanish/English) encouraged to apply

Responsibilities

• Screen court calendars, court related documents and Office of Court Administration (OCA) databases to identify prospective clients, including high-risk/high needs participants, pending arraignment.
• Appear at night arraignments (including weekends and holidays) to provider Supervised release program information, eligibility criteria and obligations to courts, including responding to on-the-record questions regarding re-arrest and CJA pre-trial Release Assessments.
• Maintain strong professional relationships with night shift personnel including defense attorneys, prosecutors, judges, and court officers to maintain CJA credibility.
• Collect and organize all court documents needed for case records.
• Orient new participants immediately following arraignment ensuring they understand the conditions of their Supervised Release mandate, court conditions and responsibilities through a trauma-informed, culturally sensitive approach.
• Conduct comprehensive orientation intakes for newly released participants, flagging risk factors, immediate needs, and behavioral health concerns. Provide crisis support, as needed.
• Distributing metro-cards and/or cell phones to clients as needed and maintaining accurate documentation for these processes.
• Collaborate with CJA case management, Program Analyst, and daytime Court Representatives teams to ensure seamless transition and comprehensive participant information sharing.
• Ensure timely and accurate documentation in database case record and court tracking systems including entering participants demographics, contact information, court-imposed conditions, special circumstances, and next court proceeding information.
• Track program compliance for participants who have been rearrested, via case manager and provide verbal compliance updates to the courts at arraignment, as requested.
• Appear during subsequent court dates to provide compliance updates to the Court and collect information regarding any updated conditions or mandates imposed post-arraignment.
• Participate in regular team meetings, supervision and professional trainings identified by management
• Perform other related duties as assigned by Supervising Court Representatives and Senior Manager of Court Operations.

Benefits

• CJA offers a very generous benefit plan including health, dental and vision insurance, a comprehensive mental health, and wellness, Employee Assistance Program (EAP) plan, four weeks’ vacation, paid holidays, and a retirement plan with employer matching contributions.
• CJA is also strongly committed to professional learning and development for its staff members and offers staff varied opportunities for learning and development through partnerships and vendor services for web based, in-person professional development training, as well as in-house job training and development.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Number of Employees: 11-50 employees