Job Description

The Bronx District Attorney’s Office seeks a well-qualified staff whose diverse backgrounds contribute to serve the over 1.4 million members of the Bronx County community and pursue a safer Bronx through fair justice. The Alternatives to Incarceration Bureau is seeking experienced attorneys (3+ years) to serve Assistant District Attorneys, The Community Justice Bureau’s (CJB) mission is to provide treatment opportunities to defendants who may benefit from intervention in appropriate cases. The Bureau is primarily responsible for seeking meaningful case dispositions other than incarceration, while recognizing the needs of victims, the community, and defendants.

Under the direction of the Bureau Chief for CJB, Assistant District Attorneys in the Bureau facilitate pleas for all felonies and most misdemeanors involving drug treatment and/or mental health treatment and supervise all such cases through ultimate disposition. Assistants also offers guidance on all misdemeanors where alternative programming may be appropriate, such as social services and community service or where defendants assert a defense of not responsible by reason of mental disease or defect pursuant to CPL 330.20 and CPL 730 examination.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

Assess CJB case referrals to determine whether an alternative to incarceration is appropriate

Maintain a caseload of pre- and post-deposition treatment cases and ensure treatment compliance

Staff court parts, including, but not limited to, the JD/T and Veterans’ Court

Participate in daily case conferencing meetings

Conference cases with defendants and their attorneys regarding programming and meet with complainants

Cultivate relationships with other agencies and programs including TASC, JD/T, TASC Mental Health Court Program, CIRT, Bronx Community Solutions (BCS), Center for Court Innovation (CCI), U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs, and other program providers

Attend trainings and meetings to keep abreast of changes in the alternatives to incarceration and the mental health fields.

Perform other duties as required to support the work of the Alternatives to Incarceration Bureau and the Office at large

Qualifications

A Juris Doctorate degree and minimum of 3 years’ criminal law experience; prosecutorial experience strongly preferred

US Citizenship and New York State Residency are required as of first day of employment

Member in good standing of the NY State Bar. You must provide an original current certificate of good standing

Strong knowledge of, and experience with, the New York State Penal Law and Criminal Procedure Law

Demonstrated commitment to seeking alternatives to incarceration

Ability to multi-task

Ability to exercise good judgment and strong ethics, including decision-making skills and creativity in sentencing options

Preference will be given to those with a social work, public health or psychology background

Preference will be given to those with experience handling cases resulting in an alternative to incarceration and/or familiar with treatment courts

The ideal candidate must be a skilled communicator able to work in multidisciplinary setting and maintain strong relationships with multiple agencies and organizations

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.