Position Title: Project
Director - Reentry Clinic
Director Supervisor: Deputy Director
Job Summary:
(Full or part time) The Reentry Clinic provides legal "civic restoration" services to men and women who face barriers to employment, education, and
professional licensing as a result of their prior criminal conviction. Syracuse is one of the poorest cities in the
U.S. with multiple neighborhoods besieged by high rates of poverty, a condition
that overlaps with high rates of unemployment and high incarceration rates. CCA
operates numerous programs which work with several target populations including
people who have been involved in the juvenile or adult criminal justice system
and who are now seeking to reintegrate into their communities to live
productive and law-abiding lives.
However, punishment does not end after serving a sentence: there are
many consequences that haunt people long after they have completed their
sentences, often for the rest of their lives. These are often referred to as the "collateral consequences" (or more accurately "perpetual punishment") of a
criminal conviction.
The Reentry Clinic began in
2007 and since 2009, the Clinic has served over 1000 individuals. As such, the Clinic has a well-defined and
proven process of case management and effective delivery of quality legal
representation in helping individuals overcome the barriers to reentry. The Reentry Clinic staff provide the
following legal services: obtaining and reviewing criminal history records;
identifying and correcting mistakes on records; counseling clients on their
criminal histories and employment rights; advocating to occupational licensing
agencies; assisting clients in applying for Certificates of Rehabilitation;
applying for sealing for eligible convictions.
The Reentry Clinic Project Director is responsible for supervising
Reentry Clinic staff and interns/volunteers, and provides direct services to
clients.
Duties and
Responsibilities:
Identify potential legal
barriers to successful reintegration, particularly in the areas of employment
and education.
Obtain and review clients' criminal history records, identifying mistakes on such records that could
impair the ability to obtain or maintain employment; seek to correct such
mistakes by communicating with court personnel, obtaining certificates of
disposition and sealing orders and conveying them to the appropriate law
enforcement agencies, and, where appropriate, drafting, filing, and arguing
motions to dismiss stale prosecutions, to seal arrests, or to re-sentence
clients as Youthful Offenders.
Identify if clients are
eligible for Certificates of Rehabilitation, and if so, assist clients in
applying for the appropriate Certificate. For clients who seek occupational
licensing from local or State occupational licensing agency, work with such
clients to advocate for such licensing.
Working closely with referral
program staff members, counsel clients on their criminal history records and
employment rights, and strategize with clients on how best to discuss their
criminal history records with potential employers.
Supervise other Reentry
Clinic staff in performing above duties; where appropriate, provide
presentations to staff of the various referral programs.
Work to coordinate referrals
from various programs and assign cases to Reentry Clinic staff in a manner that
ensures staff have manageable case loads and are able to provide clients
quality and timely services.
Participate in internal and
outside training and coalitions; keep current on new laws impacting people with
a criminal regard as well as the most recent research regarding employment of
people with a criminal record ; use new laws and the research to update Reentry
Clinic procedures and protocols where appropriate.
Manage case management and
file management and maintaining and updating program data base. Program reporting to funders and CCA
management, assist in identifying future funding opportunities and
grant/contract drafting.
Perform other duties as
assigned by supervisor.
Qualifications: Commitment to and experience in working with adults
and youth from diverse cultural and socio-economic backgrounds who are or have
been involved in the criminal justice system.
JD, admission to the New York State Bar, and some practice experience
required. Excellent written and oral
communication and advocacy skills, attention to detail, and computer literacy
(word processing, e-mail, internet and legal research, data entry) required. |