Court Advocate

Job Details

Job Location:

Supervised Release Service Center (Bronx) - Bronx, NY 10451

Position Type:
Full Time

Salary Range: $27.47 - $30.22 Hourly

Title:

Court Advocate

Unit:
Court Advocacy

Reports to:

Director of Court Advocacy

Status:
Full Time;
Regular;
Non-Exempt

Salary Range: $27.47 - $30.22 per hour (approximately 50,000 -$55,000 annually)

Location:

Bronx Court and 502 E 163rd Street, Bronx NY 10451

Days/

Hours:

Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 5:00pm with alternating weekends

The Fortune Society, Inc. (Fortune) has been working for over 57 years in service to our mission: to support successful reentry from incarceration and promote alternatives to incarceration, thus strengthening the fabric of our communities. The organization has evolved into one of the nation’s preeminent reentry and justice-informed service organizations, providing formerly incarcerated people with the skills and wrap-around services needed to break the cycle of crime and incarceration and to build productive lives in their communities.

Fortune has grown steadily over the years to an agency with close to $90 million in annual budget with just under 600 staff. We anticipate that we will keep growing, both in size and depth of service. Fortune has a dual mission: both advocacy and service. The advocacy portion of our mission focuses on building a more just criminal legal system and reducing the barriers to reentry into society.

The service side of Fortune has evolved to encompass a broad range of programs that started with employment and education and now includes a robust array of services, among them: alternatives to incarceration, supervised release, court advocacy, discharge planning within correctional facilities, licensed substance use and mental health treatment, a housing continuum ranging from emergency and transitional through permanent congregate and scattered site housing, assistance in obtaining benefits, a care management unit, HIV services, a food and nutrition program, and an arts program.

Each service we provide is informed by the needs of the population we serve. Fortune currently serves approximately 14,000 people a year.. Our program models are recognized, both nationally and internationally, for their quality and innovation. We have locations in Brooklyn, The Bronx, Manhattan and Queens.

The Bronx Court Advocate will be responsible for working with court stakeholders to assess and screen and advocate for individuals to be placed in Fortune’s Alternative to Incarceration (ATI) programs, and report to the court regarding clients’ participation in programming.

The Bronx Court Advocate will split their time between court advocacy and managing a caseload of current clients and potential referrals.

Mission and Fit:
Embodies Fortune’s mission and values and will be an effective member of the team in furthering both. The candidate should exhibit compassion and understanding for our participants (wherever they are in their re-entry process) and embrace Fortune’s core value that none of us should be measured against the worst things we have done.

Communication:
The Court Advocate must be able to communicate effectively, both written and orally with defense and district attorneys, judges, other court parties, internal program staff and participants. The Court Advocate must understand the role of each of these stakeholders and how to communicate with all.

Time Management:
Court can be a fast paced, unpredictable, chaotic environment. Court Advocates are tasked with communicating with court parties, managing multiple court appearances, some of which occur at the same time, conducting client screenings and assessments, fielding calls from active clients and internal and external program staff and participating in case conferences. Prioritizing the above is imperative in being able to manage the work and do it effectively.

Initiative:
Court Advocates are the doorway for many of our Fortune clients. It takes initiative to get cases, follow them through to plea and finally completion and sentencing. While many cases are brought to the Court Advocate by the defense or district…