Policy Analyst, Law Enforcement
Who we are:
The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center [1] works across the country to develop research-driven strategies to increase public safety and strengthen communities. To further this mission, we work with partners inside and outside of government to reduce crime and incarceration among youth and adults in contact with the justice system. We bring people from diverse systems and perspectives together to improve policy and practice. And we transform data and research findings into meaningful insights for decision-makers.
We're focused on three strategic goals:
- Break the cycle of incarceration.
- Advance health, opportunity, and equity.
- Use data to improve safety and justice.
When you join the CSG Justice Center, you join an organization that is uniquely positioned to cultivate innovation and drive data-driven reform nationally. We have approximately 120 employees [2]-expected to grow to about 150 by the end of this year-based in more than 20 states who have decades of experience working in and with criminal, juvenile, and Tribal justice agencies. We have provided housing, mental health, and addiction services; served as educators and in workforce development agencies; and supported victims and survivors of crime. We have served governors, state legislators, and members of Congress on both sides of the political spectrum. What binds us together is a shared commitment to our mission; to one another; to a common set of values; and to the national, bipartisan advisory board [3] that guides our work.
Learn more about careers [4] at the CSG Justice Center.
How you'll fit in:
The Behavioral Health Division works with jurisdictions nationally to improve outcomes for people with mental illnesses and substance use disorders who are at risk of justice system involvement or are already involved in the criminal justice system. This includes developing community responder programs to expand responses to people experiencing a behavioral health crisis. We also provide training and technical assistance through the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program [5], which works to engage, support, and guide state and local governments and Tribal Nations to improve responses for people with mental illnesses and substance use disorders.
The policy analyst will serve as an integral member of the CSG Justice Center's Behavioral Health Division and work on projects related to police-mental health collaborations. The policy analyst will work directly with behavioral health and criminal justice leaders, stakeholders, and grantees to assist in their efforts to help communities address challenges at the intersection of behavioral health and the criminal justice system. The policy analyst will examine existing programs, policies, and practices and provide policy recommendations to behavioral health and criminal justice agencies.
What you'll do:
Specific responsibilities of the policy analyst include the following:
- Provide training and technical assistance to sites across the country.
- Contribute to content and planning for conferences, grantee summits, and other meetings, including drafting/advising on agendas, presentation materials, and other planning items.
- Coordinate, participate in, and document on-site and off-site technical assistance to jurisdictions across the country.
- Provide content knowledge across grant programs on behavioral health and criminal justice issues.
- Support the development of peer learning opportunities for sites across the country.
- Work with a wide range of stakeholders on law enforcement, criminal justice, and behavioral health-related technical assistance efforts within local, state, and Tribal governments.
- Respond to grantees' internal and external requests for information and resources.
- Synthesize complex qualitative and quantitative information on policies, programs, practices, and outcomes and create clear, accessible, actionable takeaway reports, as needed.
- Contribute to the development of the CSG Justice Center's website content, broad-based reports, resources, or presentations relevant to a national audience to promote specific policy goals.
- With guidance from senior staff, develop resources that independently inform the criminal justice and mental/behavioral health systems.
- Lead in coordinating and participating in webinars, learning communities, and other web-based learning.
- Monitor timelines for project deliverables to ensure that responsibilities to funders are met.
- Develop and expand a knowledge base on criminal justice and behavioral health systems and how they function at the local and state levels.
- Ensure, where applicable, that senior staff, colleagues, consultants, and/or funders are aware of relevant project developments and that other CSG Justice Center work in the field is leveraged to advance project goals.
- Assist with additional duties as assigned by the manager or division.
What you'll bring:
- Ability to interact effectively with diverse people in different contexts and foster equity and inclusion through self-awareness, cultural sensitivity, and valuing others
- Dedication to public service with an unfailing commitment to act with civility, be nonpartisan in performing CSG Justice Center duties, and be a responsible steward of member and donor funds
- Minimum of three years of relevant work experience, or equivalent educational achievements, that involve some of the following: training and technical assistance, research, or policy analysis in criminal justice, mental health, and behavioral health as it relates to adult and juvenile justice
- Knowledge of supportive mental health, substance use, and criminal justice best practices and evidence-based strategies
- Understanding of local and state dynamics in the criminal justice, behavioral health, and mental health fields, as well as the interplay among them
- Understanding of and ability to apply trauma-informed care, racial equity, cultural humility, and gender-responsive lenses to programming and technical assistance support
- Experience using data to drive decision-making and collecting, matching, and analyzing administrative data from criminal justice and mental health systems
- Experience in collaborative planning efforts involving government, nonprofit, philanthropic, Tribal, and private sector partners
- Experience working with, or knowledge of, police-mental health collaboration programs
- An understanding of the sequential intercept model
- Demonstrated success in meeting project deadlines and funder deliverables
- Strong oral communication skills, including the ability to effectively distill and present complex information in a concise, accessible way
- Excellent interpersonal skills, including maturity and an ability to work independently and in a team setting
How you apply:
If you're interested in helping us drive change across the country, you must upload the following elements with your application:
- Cover letter
- Resume
- Writing sample
- At least three professional references
We will consider all paid and unpaid experience relevant to this position, including internships, fellowships, and volunteer activities.
CSG believes that pay equity and pay transparency advance workplace fairness. Compensation will be equitable and based on experience and geography. The NYC-based salary range for this position is $65,475- $81,900. The starting salary for this position outside of NYC may be as low as $61,000. Salary ranges are subject to change based on work location and market conditions.
Learn more about careers [6] at the CSG Justice Center.
We welcome and value diversity in our staff, including race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, educational attainment, disability, protected veteran status, and personal experience with the criminal justice system.
CSG is an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. CSG participates in E-Verify.
