JOB POSTING: RESEARCH ASSOCIATE IN SENTENCING AND CORRECTIONS
RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Vera Institute of Justice seeks a research associate to work with an interdisciplinary team researching and providing technical assistance locally and nationally on a set of projects involving sentencing and corrections. This is a unique position located at the intersection of technical assistance, research, and applied policy research. Working closely with a senior research associate, the research associate will take the lead on the acquisition and processing of data sets from various state and local justice systems, will conduct preliminary descriptive analyses of data, and will assist in more advanced statistical analyses. This will likely involve extensive travel outside of New York City to examine the database systems maintained by state and local jurisdictions and obtain relevant data sets. The research associate will also be expected to conduct policy research, examining changes in state- and local-level criminal justice policies and assisting technical assistance providers by summarizing national and state trends in policies and criminal justice statistics. This position requires solid writing skills, as the research associate will aid in the drafting of briefing memos, reports, and publications. It also requires the ability to translate social science research into policy-relevant information and recommendations.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Master's degree in social science, criminal justice, public administration, or related field
- Previous exposure to, and a strong interest in, government administrative data
- Experience working with databases and conducting statistical analyses using SPSS or Stata. Familiarity with Standard - Query Language (SQL) or relational databases a plus
- Familiarity with or interest in performance measurement, public policy, and applied research
- Experience working with Lexis-Nexis or Westlaw a plus
- Excellent writing and communication skills, including the ability to develop relationships with experts in the field, government officials, and community organizations
- Familiarity with or interest in corrections, criminal justice, and public policy
- Ability to work independently and as part of an interdisciplinary team
- Ability to travel outside of New York City frequently
SALARY: Commensurate with experience. Excellent benefits available.
START DATE: Flexible, but no later than January 2006
Please send cover letter and resume by mail or fax to: Hester Lyons, Human Resources Director, Vera Institute of Justice; 233 Broadway, 12th Floor; New York, New York 10279; fax: 212-941-9407; e-mail: job.research.sc@vera.org . Visit our website www.vera.org for more information.
No telephone calls please. Only applicants selected for interviews will be contacted.
