Pretrial Associate - Brooklyn

NYC Criminal Justice Agency • Brooklyn, NY

6d • Onsite

About The Position

The New York City Criminal Justice Agency (CJA) is a not-for-profit service and research organization that operates in partnership with the New York City Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice. CJA is the City’s main pretrial services agency, combining operations, pilot projects, and research under one roof. CJA utilizes procedural justice practices to provide pretrial services to over 100,000 arrested annually in New York City. Information collected about these arrestees and subsequent case processing is maintained in the agency’s internal and externally shared database systems, which are used to conduct descriptive and evaluation research on arrestee characteristics, case processing and court outcomes, and on issues and potential reforms to criminal justice policy in New York City. CJA’s programs operate in the criminal courts and detention facilities 24 hours a day seven days a week within the 5 boroughs of NYC, employing over 300 employees, citywide.

Pretrial Associates (PTAs) are integral to the work we do in the courts and Central Booking. With staff working 24/7 in each of the city's centralized courthouses, CJA interviews nearly all individuals held in custody before they see a judge and makes a release recommendation to the court. We assist people who have been arrested, as well as their families, in navigating the bail payment process to facilitate their release from court before admission to DOC facilities.

Requirements

• A high school diploma or GED and at least one year of relevant work experience are required.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Computer literacy, to include Microsoft applications and ability to quickly adapt to changing technology

Nice To Haves

• Candidates from all educational backgrounds and college majors are welcome to apply, with a preference for those with a background in criminal justice or a related social science field.
• An associate degree or higher is a plus but not required.
• Candidates with two or more years of comparable work experience are also encouraged to apply.
• Multilingual candidates are highly encouraged to apply (please list any fluent languages in your application)
• This opportunity is ideal for an individual who has recently graduated from college or has commensurate experience.
• CJA is seeking applicants who pursue professional development pathways by participating in educational opportunities, reading professional publications, maintaining professional networks, and engaging with professional associations

Responsibilities

• Thoroughly and compassionately interviews recently arrested individuals in Central Booking locations in all boroughs to determine community ties. The information gathered plays a major role in the CJA’s recommendation to release them without bail.
• Conducts telephone verifications of the information the individuals provide, such as address, employment, possible sureties, and other factors which play an important role in the individual's opportunity to receive a recommendation for Release on Recognizance (ROR).
• Explain bail payment procedures and assist sureties with the bail payment process.
• Accurately record the interview responses into the Agency’s computerized database.
• Determine release recommendation for individuals using CJA’s standardized release assessment, which combines criminal history factors and community ties information.
• Observe and monitor arraignment outcomes and assist individuals who have bail imposed.
• Participate in various interdepartmental programs, such as Bail Expediting Program, which involves identifying eligible cases and making follow up phone calls to their sureties to expedite bail payment at the courts, rather than at DOC facilities.
• Interact respectfully with other agencies and court players, such as NYPD, DOC, NYS Court Officers, Supervised Release programs, Court Clerks, and Legal Aid to effectively facilitate court procedures and represent CJA in a professional manner.
• Contribute to and work on various innovative pilot programs implemented in the boroughs and suggest potential improvements.

Benefits

• health, dental and vision insurance
• a comprehensive mental health, and wellness, Employee Assistance Program (EAP) plan
• four weeks’ vacation
• paid holidays
• a retirement plan with employer matching contributions
• 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
• Education Level: High school or GED