Posting Date

Application Deadline

Pay Range

Job Type

Department

About the Position

We are looking for a person who has experience working with youth and and has a passion to help them so they have better life outcomes. 

The Mitigation Specialist plays a vital role on the defense team; positively and enthusiastically working with the juvenile’s attorney and investigators in order to best represent them through the juvenile delinquency system. 

If you are motivated, inquisitive, and like to study the life experiences of others, this is the perfect position for you.

About the Office of the Public Advocate

The Office of the Public Advocate seeks professionals, both attorneys, and legal staff members, to join our legal defense team!

We're committed to the mission of protecting the fundamental rights of our clients. We're dedicated to providing effective legal representation to all indigent persons, those individuals who are not able to afford the services of private lawyers, when appointed by the Maricopa County Superior Court. Our clients include juveniles charged with criminal offenses, parents, and children in dependency and severance matters (loss of parental rights), and people facing court-ordered mental health evaluation and treatment.

Proud to Offer

• Work with a greater purpose
• Tuition reimbursement
• Exceptional work-life balance, with hybrid and alternative work schedule options
• Opportunities for growth and development within Maricopa County
• Low-cost, high-value healthcare for you and your qualifying dependents
• Child care benefits, including access to our on-site center Maricopa County Kids Club, dedicated to serving Maricopa County families
• Paid vacation, sick time, and parental leave
• Extensive wellness program, including an incentive
• Enrollment in the Arizona State Retirement System, a defined retirement benefit requiring a 11.98% per paycheck contribution rate that includes a 100% employer match on Day 1
• Want to learn more about the County’s Qualifying and Compensation Philosophy? Follow this link to learn more!  Work With Us | Maricopa County, AZ

We Require

• Two years of paid casework experience within a criminal justice, social service or court agency
• Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Social Work, Behavioral or Social Science, or another related field
• A combination of post-secondary education and/or job-related experience may substitute for the minimum qualifications on a year-for-year basis
• Valid Arizona driver’s license upon hire

We Also Value

• Casework experience within a public defender organization, an Arizona criminal justice agency, an Arizona court department, or a probation department
• Experience and passion to work with youth
• Experience identifying mental health symptoms, exposure to trauma, physical/neurological defects, or drug/alcohol use
• A Master’s degree in psychology, social work, behavioral or social science, or another related field
• Intermediate Bilingual (English/Spanish) skills

Job Contributions

• Interview client/family to assist in the development of mitigation and treatment/sentencing plans
• Conduct assessments and conferences, attends case staffings; provide input regarding clients’ needs; make suggestions regarding treatment and disposition
• Make and monitor referrals to provide follow-up and intervention
• Present and/or submit reports to representing attorney and the court in an effort to obtain the best possible sentencing outcome
• Testify in court
• Assess clients’ social and medical histories, psychological evaluations, education and legal documents
• Locate residential treatment centers, group homes, foster homes, and outpatient treatment programs as a resource for clients
• Network with individuals and community agencies for access to social, educational and employment resources for clients
• Prepare correspondence, social histories, reports and submit social histories to psychologists and attorneys
• Frequently meet with clients in juvenile detention facility, the office, out in the community and provides supportive resources.

Working Conditions

• Requires the ability to work with traumatic subject matter (crime scenes, accidents, etc.) in a fast-paced environment with frequent stressful situations
• Work may be performed in office and other enclosed areas, as well as various outside locations. May require long periods of sitting while completing paperwork, standing and moving about during course of performing duties. Accuracy; decision making; and concentration/vigilance are constant requirements.  Interruptions; time pressure; high volume of work; handling multiple or complicated tasks; unscheduled tasks; frequently changing tasks; teamwork; working in close physical proximity with others; and public contact are frequent occurrences
• Work requires travel to and from job related locations during the course of a scheduled workday, subject to County policies regarding the use of County vehicles and/or private vehicles on County business

Selection Procedure

• Consideration will only be given to candidates who submit online applications

• Candidates will be contacted primarily through email and their Workday online application profile

• Must pass a pre-employment background and/or fingerprint investigation as required by statute or policy, including drug and alcohol testing requirements for positions designated as safety-sensitive

Maricopa County is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants. If you require a reasonable accommodation during the application process or to perform the essential functions of the position under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), please contact [email protected] to initiate the interactive process.

Apply Now!