The Virginia Indigent Defense Commission (VIDC) is now accepting applications for the position of Investigator I (Mitigation Investigator) in the Arlington/Falls Church Public Defender Office. The Office is seeking a self-motivated individual to perform a combination of mitigation and fact investigations for an office with an unusually high number of clients with mental health and substance abuse issues. The VIDC is dedicated to protecting the rights and dignity of our clients through zealous, compassionate, high-quality legal advocacy, and our Mitigation Investigator contributes to our client-centered, holistic mission. The Investigator I (Mitigation Investigator) reports to the Public Defender of the Arlington/Falls Church Office and is employed at will. In addition to the listed salary, there is a 15% local salary supplement, although this 15% supplement is discretionary, subject to annual approval by Arlington County, and earnings from the supplement do not impact retirement benefits.
Duties:
The Office of the Public Defender for Arlington County and the City of Falls Church maintains a zealous, client-centered practice, with a caseload that consists of many clients with mental health and substance abuse issues. In addition, it resides in a County where sentencing trends are evolving, requiring substantial input from an informed, prepared group of advocates. The Mitigation Investigator plays a critical role in serving our clientele and producing information and data in support of our mission, both pretrial and at sentencing. In that regard, although the Mitigation Investigator will participate in fact investigation of alleged criminal conduct, in support of trial defenses, this position is also responsible for conducting interviews of relevant mitigation witnesses and defendants to gain information that could benefit negotiations and sentencing outcomes. The Mitigation Investigator will participate in the preparation of sentencing memoranda as well as pretrial motions that require social science research. The Mitigation Investigator will appear and testify in court as needed. Additional duties include making records requests, reviewing records (medical, psychiatric, military, employment, etc), reviewing academic literature, serving subpoenas and any other necessary steps resulting in a thorough fact or mitigation investigation as assigned by the attorney. The position is required to have close interaction and build rapport with members of the public defender team and reports to the attorney handling each case.
The IDC is committed to inclusive hiring and dedicated to diversity in our workforce. We encourage and welcome qualified applicants of all identities, cultures, backgrounds, and experiences.
A strong belief in equal justice and social justice is essential to success in this position. Superior research and writing skills are important, as is the skill in interviewing people and building rapport. Knowledge of the criminal justice system is beneficial. The candidate must have a valid operator’s license and transportation. Because the position requires considerable work with records, the qualified candidate will be focused, self-motivated, detail-oriented, and possess excellent time management and organizational skills. The ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing is also required. Because this position places a premium on effort, people skills, research and writing skills are necessary. Those who are considering law school or graduate school in related fields such as forensic psychology, social work or social science are preferred. Given the current needs of the office, it is important that the Mitigation Investigator be fluent in Spanish.
Click the following link: https://virginiajobs.peopleadmin.com/postings/203593
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