Court Based Peer Navigator

COURT BASED PEER NAVIGATOR

QUEENS SUPERVISED RELEASE PROGRAM

Posted: 7/6/2026

CJA's work seeks to reduce jail overcrowding and unnecessary detention in New York City .

Are you a certified Peer Specialist interested in assisting program participants in court?

Are you interested in helping us implement a more person-centered, recovery-oriented, trauma-informed approach?

Would you like to help change how arrested individuals view the criminal system?

Join our team of multi-disciplined professionals!

ABOUT CJA

The New York City Criminal Justice Agency (CJA) is a not-for-profit service and research organization that operates in partnership with the New York City Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice.  CJA is the City’s main pretrial services agency, combining operations, pilot projects, and research under one roof.  CJA utilizes procedural justice practices to provide pretrial services to over 100,000 persons arrested annually in New York City. Information collected about these arrestees and subsequent case processing is maintained in the agency’s internal and externally shared database systems, which are used to conduct descriptive and evaluation research on arrestee characteristics, case processing, and court outcomes, and on issues and potential reforms to criminal justice policy in New York City. CJA’s programs operate in the criminal courts and detention facilities 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the 5 boroughs of NYC, employing over 300 employees, citywide.

PROGRAM SUMMARY

CJA operates the Queens Supervised Release Program (QSRP) in Queens Criminal Court seven days a week, during both the day and night court. The program serves individuals of all ages who are released at criminal court arraignment, who are charged with felonies and misdemeanors, and who present a substantial likelihood of detention but are at risk of failing to appear in court if released on recognizance.

Participants engage with the program through on-going in person or phone check-ins and take part in a collaborative process to identify individual strengths, goals, and needs, such as health services, substance use support resources. The program emphasizes connection to services, consistent communication and support meeting court obligations while promoting stability and positive outcomes in the community. This is a great opportunity for someone who brings both knowledge and a strong commitment to working alongside people with complex needs, including people navigating mental health challenges, who are at risk of further legal involvement, and individuals experiencing social, emotional, or developmental challenges and systemic barriers, who are navigating the legal system.

POSITION SUMMARY

Reporting to the Director of Clinical and Peer Services, the Court Based Peer Navigator provides court-to-community navigation and peer support for Queens Supervised Release (QSRP) participants at Queens Criminal Court. This role engages participants throughout and beyond arraignment, completes brief needs screening, provides practical court navigation support, and can connect participants to community-based resources through immediate referrals and warm handoffs and short-term follow-up. The Peer Navigator works closely with QSRP clinical court staff and QSRP court representatives to support participant engagement, reduce service drop-off, and prevent disengagement that leads to non-compliance with court-ordered supervision and/or programming. This role centers dignity, respect, and collaboration, recognizing individuals as partners in their own recovery. The Peer Navigator role is intended to be supportive and participant-centered; engagement is always participant-initiated or with participant-consent.

This is a newly created and developing role. As one of the program’s first Court Based Peer Navigators, you will help shape the role in collaboration with colleagues and leadership across clinical, case management, and court-based roles to help define and refine peer navigation practices over time. This role is expected to evolve in response to the needs of QSRP participants.

The Court Based Peer Navigator will receive regular reflective supervision from a supervisor with knowledge of peer support competencies, ethics and practice, as well as peer consultation opportunities.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Court-Based Engagement and Navigation

Immediate Engagement : Meet and support QSRP participants at key court touchpoints immediately after arraignment and throughout their continued appearances. Draw on your own lived experience to connect authentically with QSRP participants at key court moments to build genuine rapport and offer both practical and emotional support rooted in mutuality and trust.

Needs Assessment : Use a strengths-based, person-centered approach to have real conversations about what participants are up against — whether that's housing instability, mental health or substance use support, benefits, I…