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. 

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

The Center's Technology Support and Strategy Department supports technology needs across our rapidly growing organization of approximately 800 staff working on geographically and technologically diverse projects. While much of our infrastructure is hosted and maintained in partnership with New York State's Office of Court Administration, we support our staff in its software and hardware needs and own and manage Google Suite and other systems, all while being thought leaders and innovators in using technology in criminal justice reform.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone looking to get real, hands-on experience in an enterprise I.T. environment. This is a long-term apprenticeship and very different from a summer internship. The expectation will be for you to join and grow with the team until you finish your degree. We want you to learn as much as you can and develop all the skills you need to start your professional career. You will be trained and guided while being an equal contributing member within the team. The ideal candidate should be enthusiastic and open to learning various technologies and concepts. You will have an abundance of help and guidance from all the Tech team members. How much you learn and grow will be up to you.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Shadow technicians to learn and apply troubleshooting for common tech issues and requests;
• Prepare and image desktops and laptops;
• Perform and maintain inventory of Tech assets at various sites and operating projects;
• Participate in various tech projects;
• Troubleshoot issues with various hardware, software, and the network;
• Prepare documentation of processes and procedures;
• Attend meetings and take minutes;
• Troubleshoot the network, server equipment; and
• Additional relevant tasks as needed;

Qualifications: The ideal candidate will be:

• A college Junior or rising Junior pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Information Technology or relevant technical area at an accredited college or university;
• Able to commit at least 20 hours per week;
• Excellent analytical, judgement and problem-solving skills;
• Strong verbal and written communication skills;
• Extremely collaborative with the ability to thrive in a team environment;
• Basic understanding of computer hardware, networking, and Microsoft Office software;
• Basic understanding of Windows 10 and MacOS operating systems;
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple streams of information and tasks;
• Strong attention to detail and strong sense of accountability;

Position Type: Part-time, 20 hours per week, 3 days a week in person.

Position Location: Midtown Manhattan, with occasional travel within the 5 boroughs and Newark, NJ.

Compensation: The salary range starts at $23 to $25 per hour and is commensurate with experience, preference to a current Junior or rising Junior.

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.