Pretrial Justice Institute (PJI)

Pretrial Justice, Research Associate

(Contract or Part Time/Washington, DC)

The Pretrial Justice Institute (PJI), located at 15th and K Streets NW in downtown Washington, D.C., is the nation’s only nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring informed pretrial decision making for safe communities. When someone is arrested, their release or detention pending trial should be based on a thoughtful, informed assessment of whether they will stay crime-free while on release and return to court for trial.

PJI advocates for fair and effective pretrial policies and practices that eliminate inappropriate detention, optimize diversion from prosecution, and maintain community safety. We provide information, technical assistance and training to criminal justice officials and community leaders at the federal, state and local levels.

We are currently recruiting for a Research Associate as a part-time employee or on a contract-basis who would work as part of a team on a variety of projects. This position may be converted to full time.

Responsibilities: The Research Associate is responsible for participating in PJI’s pretrial justice research agenda. He or she is responsible for contributing to the methodology sections of proposals, and completing statistical and analytical projects for PJI.

The Research Associate will work on data collection, research or technical assistance projects, at the direction of the Executive Director. He or she will be required to split their time between several pretrial justice projects. All staff of the PJI are committed to justice reform and are a critical part of the highly-functioning team. PJI staff are excited by the challenge of working on a wide array of initiatives within the context of a nationally focused institution. The Research Associate is responsible for completing tasks and duties as outlined in the work plans of the projects to which he or she is assigned. All PJI staff are responsible for their own administrative needs, and may be required to support the administrative needs of the organization.

Requirements:

We are seeking applicants committed to justice reform and who can become part of a high-functioning team of individuals who come together as professionals. Applicants who are excited by the challenge of working on a wide array of initiatives within the context of a nationally focused institution are encouraged.

Education: Ph. D. (completed or candidate status) in Criminal Justice, Public Administration, Social Work, or a related field. Master’s Degree acceptable if can demonstrate a strong track in statistics and research methodology and examples of recent applied research.

Experience: Experience with research projects in a social service agency, association, or justice or reform non-profit organization is preferred, with understanding of the criminal justice environment and a commitment to the principles of system reform.

Related Skills or Knowledge: The successful candidate must have experience, competency and/or familiarity in the following areas:

Understanding of the inner workings and/or relationships among a number of local and state agencies, including, e.g., police, corrections, courts, and probation or parole.
Experience and ability to conduct research of agencies that impact pretrial detention or advocate for defendants.
Strong writing, communications, and interpersonal skills.
Flexibility in working on several projects at the same time, or being moved from one to another.
An understanding of the mission and function of agencies that serve those involved with the justice system and their families.
Ability to build and expand a coalition and to work collaboratively with coalition partners, including participating in teleconference or in-person working groups.
Good organizational skills, attention to detail, and a drive to respond quickly and effectively to requests.
Strong computer skills, including MS Office. Independent facility with statistical software such as SPSS a must.

Salary & Benefits: The salary for this position is commiserate with experience. If a part-time employment status is preferred, we offer an excellent benefits package, including paid sick leave, flexible work schedules, telecommuting, transit subsidy, and tax-deferred flexible spending accounts. If a contract basis is selected, the consultant will be paid an hourly rate on work directed and delivered as outlined in the contract.

To apply, please respond, in writing, to the following item. Send this response in Microsoft Word along with your resume in Microsoft Word to jobs@pretrial.org. Please put “Research Associate 2008” in the subject line. Specify if you are looking for a contract or part-time employment status. No relocation expenses are available for this position. Submissions that fail to include a narrative response which directly addresses the item below will not be considered.

Please describe your research experience in any one of the following settings: police department, departments of corrections (including jails), court administration, pretrial services agencies, diversion programs, problem solving courts, and offices of probation or parole. You may also include a copy of a paper or report you authored or co-authored.

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Internships

PJI is now accepting applications for its internship program. Interns are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year. We accept interns for the fall or spring semester, summer, or for the entire academic year. All applicants are required to submit a cover letter detailing why they are interested in an internship with the Pretrial Justice Institute, a resume, and a writing sample. The cover letter should also include all contact information: current address, phone and fax numbers, and email address.

We seek interns interested in being introduced to the “nuts and bolts” of pretrial justice reform work and issues. This may include everything from poring through government reports, statistics, records, and data to working on a communications strategy associated with a state-based campaign/initiative or analyzing legislation with clear policy implications. We are committed to creating a fulfilling and rewarding internship experience and view this as a partnership between our organization, students, and educators. As a part of a very small office (seven staff), interns have the opportunity to work directly with the Executive Director, Director of Technical Assistance, and the Chief Operating Officer. In addition to performing some basic administrative functions for the organization, interns will also be expected to attend meetings with senior staff as appropriate and to support PJI’s strategic initiatives. For examples of the kind of projects we engage in, and to learn more about PJI, please review our website in detail.

Schedules are flexible and can work around students school and/or work activities. This is an unpaid internship, however we are happy to work with schools that provide for funding or course credit. Interested applicants should send their resume, a cover letter and writing sample via email to jobs@pretrial.org.