Bail Disruptor

The Bail Project • Saint Louis, MO

1d • $50,000 • Remote

About The Position

About The Bail Project: The Problem There is no place in the criminal justice system where money more clearly buys justice than bail. People who cant afford bail remain in jail before trial, while those with money buy their liberty. Tying freedom to financial ability upends the presumption of innocence, tears lives apart, and perpetuates racial and economic disparities. It is also a key driver of mass incarceration. Each year, an estimated 2.5 million people sit in jail cells across America because they cannot afford bail. The Response The Bail Project is a national nonprofit that provides free bail assistance and pretrial support to thousands of low-income people every year. We are on a mission to combat mass incarceration and demonstrate that a more humane, equitable, and effective pretrial system is possible. The Model The Bail Project uses a national revolving bail fund to pay bail for individuals who are legally presumed innocent, and whom a judge has deemed eligible for release. We then provide court reminders, transportation, and work with local partner organizations to connect our clients with voluntary social services and community-based programs. We call this model Community Release with Support, and it has proven highly effective in helping people make their court dates. As our clients cases close, bail comes back into the fund where it is recycled to help additional people. The goal of The Bail Project is to work ourselves out of a job by gathering human stories and data from our ground work to advance legislative and policy change to end cash bail and invest in Community Release with Support. The Team We are a community of advocates committed to ending mass incarceration and advancing racial and economic justice. Our organization consists of a central support hub and a network of client advocates or Bail Disruptors who work in their local communities to provide bail assistance and help advance advocacy efforts on the ground. Job Purpose Bail Disruptors are community-based advocates who work in local teams to identify people in need of bail assistance, post bail to secure their freedom, and provide pretrial support using The Bail Projects Community Release with Support model. In addition to these direct services, Bail Disruptors leverage local partnerships with other service providers, advocacy organizations, and community groups to expand resources for Bail Project clients and advance bail reform. Bail Disruptors work closely with The Bail Projects Support Hub on the implementation of advocacy and communications strategies to create systemic change that combats racial and economic disparities in the criminal legal system and eliminates cash bail and the need for bail funds, including our own.

Requirements

• Invested in the local community and demonstrates an interest in racial and social justice and/or criminal legal reform
• Relates to and effectively communicates with people from all economic, racial, age, ethnic, and social groups
• Takes responsibility for results, is self reflective and seeks out and considers feedback
• Demonstrates knowledge of using computers and navigating software programs, with experience in Salesforce, G suite, and Microsoft Excel a plus
• Experience with entering client data and has skills in basic data analysis (or a willingness to learn)
• Committed to completing daily work in an accurate, timely, and consistent manner
• Comfortable implementing organizational procedures and making effective and timely decisions
• Generates alternative solutions to address client needs and work challenges
• This work requires the ability to work with people who have been directly impacted by the carceral system, including folks who have prior records.
• This is a full time position working 40 hours per week (actual distribution of hours may vary depending on site/jurisdictional need)
• This position requires being able to reliably travel to various locations in the local area. If you will be driving yourself, we require that you have insurance pursuant to applicable laws.
• Currently all roles perform some or all of their work from home. The Bail Project will provide equipment to support work from home but staff must provide their own reliable internet access.

Responsibilities

• Direct Bail Assistance Respond to referrals from public defenders, family members, and other sources using approved language and in accordance with Client Service Guide.
• Complete research, conduct interviews with potential clients, and document needs and contacts to inform support plan
• Develop post-release support plans for clients and coordinate with partner organizations as needed
• Schedule case conferences with Operations Managers and other members of the Support Hub as needed, following the Bail Projects protocols for complex cases
• Post bail for clients (in person or virtually, depending on jurisdictional requirements)
• Post bail for eligible clients (in person or virtually, depending on jurisdictional requirements); upload bail and bank receipts to the Google Drive File for and process bail refunds
• Client Support Provide court notifications, connect clients to social services and community resources based on identified needs, and arrange transportation to court and service appointments as needed.
• Respond to ongoing requests from clients to support emerging needs and their return to court.
• Contact clients who have missed court to help them return to court; work with counsel to contest clients bench warrants and bail forfeitures
• Identify clients interested in sharing their experience for advocacy purposes and work with the Communications Team to document these stories.
• Data Entry and Use Input client lead information and other client intake data into Salesforce (SF)
• Review weekly SF reports to identify data gaps and make improvements as needed
• Update court appearance outcomes, input future court dates, document disposed case outcomes and update refund / forfeiture information
• Document all service referrals and client advocacy activities in SF
• Use reports and dashboards in SF to ensure client services are meeting quality standards and to improve client outcomes
• Partner Engagement Develop and maintain key partnerships within the community to meet the needs of our clients
• Develop and maintain productive relationships with community, local government, and other stakeholders to help advance TBP policy and advocacy goals at the site level
• Under the direction and supervision of the Operations Managers, seek out critical education opportunities for the local community to engage with the topic of money bail, and provide presentations on our work and our vision for the end of money bail.
• Additional Duties As Assigned by Ops Manager

Benefits

• competitive Health Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Life Insurance
• Supplemental Life Insurance
• Disability Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Paid Parental Leave
• a generous Vacation and Sick Leave policy
• 401(k) plan

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed