Data and Research Assistant, Supervised Release Program

THE ORGANIZATION

The Center for Justice Innovation (formerly the Center for Court Innovation) is a non-profit organization that works with communities and justice systems to advance equity, increase safety, and help individuals and communities thrive. The Center's goal is to identify and resolve as early as possible the challenges that bring people into the criminal and civil legal systems. It does this in a number of ways—by developing and running programs that reduce the need for incarceration and enhance economic opportunity, conducting original research to identify what works, and sharing what we learn from our programming and research with those seeking to transform the justice system around the world.

The Center is an 800-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. 

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Data Analytics and Applied Research (DAAR) team collaborates with the Center’s operating programs to inform new and existing programming through data tracking, analysis, evaluation, and surveys. The work frequently includes measures such as case outcomes and program impacts, case processing, community needs and concerns, and perceptions of justice-involved individuals. The team also provides technical assistance to community court and diversion programs across the country.

DAAR team is seeking a Data and Research Assistant to support our pretrial Supervised Release work in New York City. Since its launch in 2016, the NYC Supervised Release Program (SRP) has diverted over 40,000 people from monetary bail and likely pretrial detention, and following legislative amendments to New York’s bail statute, the program continues to evolve. Reporting to the DAAR Associate Director of Pretrial Supervised Release, the Data and Research Assistant will join a team of researchers and data analysts critical to the development, implementation, and evaluation of the bail alternative program and offers an opportunity to advance data-driven program operations and policy development through data analytics and on-the-ground research. Specifically, the Data and Research Assistant will lead on data collection for special research projects, coordinating across multiple sites. Additionally, the Data and Research Assistant, will assist DAAR colleagues in their work measuring SRP outcomes and assessing policy implications through the team’s strategic oversight of data tracking and analysis. The ideal candidate will bring a real interest in this work, prior fieldwork and survey data experience, and strong R programming (or other statistical syntax) skills.

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Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Assist on survey instrument design;
• Conduct interviews and focus groups (in Spanish and English) with program participants and staff;
• Provide administrative support to special research projects;
• Clean, recode, and conduct basic data analysis in support of special research projects involving quantitative and qualitative methodologies;
• Conduct literature reviews and secondary research or data analyses to better understand new problem areas and opportunities;
• Guide colleagues through insights from research and fieldwork;
• Translate findings into action by visualizing complex systems and prototyping potential solutions;
• Oversee up to two part-time research assistants working on special research projects;
• Work with DAAR colleagues to draft reports, factsheets,  policy memos, and produce infographics, data dashboards, website content, and presentations for a range of audiences;
• Assist with technical documentation of internal databases and other data collection tools;
• Assist with development and implementation of data trainings for front-line program staff;
• Additional relevant tasks, as needed.

Qualifications: A Bachelor’s Degree with 1-2 years of relevant research/data experience, preferably in the criminal legal field, or working in a nonprofit or governmental agency setting. General knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research methods and prior experience analyzing data, conducting fieldwork, coordinating research activities, and/or managing study administration is required. Experience developing training materials and documenting data collection protocols is preferred. The ideal candidate will have intermediate Excel skills, experience with statistical software (R skills preferred), and be at ease working with survey platforms, such as Alchemer (preferred) or Survey Monkey. Power BI experience is a plus! Must be a skilled communicator (written and oral) and comfortable working with people from a wide range of personal and professional backgrounds, including justice system-involved populations. This position also requires effective collaboration with DAAR teammates, program staff, community-based partners, criminal justice personnel, government funders, and the Center's colleagues across the research, technology, and operations departments. All applicants should have strong organizational and time-management skills; the ability to effectively juggle multiple priorities while maintaining attention to detail is a must! Interest in the justice system and bail reform required. Bilingual (English–Spanish) preferred.  

Position Type: Full-time temporary position for 6-12 months.

Position Location: Midtown Manhattan with some travel to Brooklyn and Staten Island.

Compensation: The compensation range for this position is $30.22 - $37.64, annually equivalent to $55,000 - $68,500 and is commensurate with experience. 

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.

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