Investigator - (Conviction Integrity Unit)

Full Job Description

Hennepin County Attorney's Office (HCAO) Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU) is seeking an Investigator to provide support reviewing prior convictions for indicators of actual innocence, constitutional violations, excess sentences, or other injustices.

The CIU rectifies wrongful convictions and excessive or unjust sentences and identifies errors in past prosecutions so the HCAO right past wrongs and take steps, along with its justice partners, to prevent such errors from recurring.

Current Hennepin County employees who refer a candidate hired into an open competitive position may be eligible for a $500 referral bonus. For more information visit employee referral program.

Find us here at upcoming career fairs!

Location and hours:
About this position type:
This is a full-time, benefit earning position.
This position is internally classified as an Investigator.
Click here to view the job classification specification.

• Review and assess applications submitted to the CIU asserting claims of wrongful conviction.
• Collect and review prosecutor and law enforcement files for cases being investigated.
• Coordinate with law enforcement partners on issues related to evidence gathering and forensic testing.
• Conduct witness interviews, including that of incarcerated individuals.
• Identify and analyze video recordings and other evidence bearing upon investigations.
• Identify and consult with experts on forensic science and other areas of specialized knowledge relevant to investigations.
• Draft internal reports to inform decisions whether to support relief on behalf of applicants claiming to be wrongfully convicted.

Need to have:
One of the following:

• Bachelor's degree or higher in criminal justice, law enforcement, business/public administration, sociology, psychology and/or a closely related field and one year or more of investigation or law enforcement experience.
• Associate's degree in one of the above fields and three years or more of investigation or law enforcement experience.
• Five years or more of investigation or law enforcement experience.

Nice to have:

• Experience:
  • Working in a public law office, which includes prosecutor or public defender offices.
  • Working in criminal law, including innocence or wrongful conviction organizations, conviction integrity units, or other specialty areas related to the position.
  • Conducting internet research and investigations using a variety of computer data base systems.
• Knowledge of:
  • Legal principles and practices in the area of criminal law, including matters of constitutional law relevant to criminal practice; and common causes of wrongful convictions.
  • The principles, methods, and practices of legal research and investigation.
• Ability to:
  • Communicate effectively in witness interviews.
  • Conduct fact-specific case analyses with rigor and attention to detail.
  • Efficiently track large amounts of investigative information across numerous cases.
  • Calmly and professionally interact with people on the telephone and in person.
  • Confidently explain investigative information across numerous cases when called upon to testify in court.
  • Effectively manage a demanding workload with frequently changing priorities.
    
    

About the department:
The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office is a fierce advocate for justice and equity, pursuing holistic community safety and providing quality legal services through evidence-informed practices and collaborative problem solving.

We prosecute crimes with fairness and integrity. We advocate for victims of crime by seeking meaningful accountability and supporting healing. We use preventive and restorative approaches to address the complex root causes of crime and violence. We engage with partners to pursue system accountability. And we provide proactive and innovative legal services in the areas of mental health, child support, child protection, and civil legal representation for Hennepin County to advance the County’s efforts to reduce disparities and enhance the quality of life of our community.

About Hennepin County:
Hennepin is the largest county government organization in Minnesota. Our employees work every day to improve the health, safety and quality of life for our residents and communities. All of our jobs align with our mission to serve residents through transformative services that eliminate disparities, eliminate inequities, and create opportunity for all and our vision of a community where all people are healthy, all people are valued, and all people thrive.

Our employees receive a combination of competitive benefits and positive workplace culture not found at other organizations. This includes meaningful work that impacts our community, competitive pay, work-life balance, a variety of benefits and opportunities to grow. Learn more at The Bridge (login as Guest).

Hennepin County envisions an organization where our commitment to diversity and the elimination of disparities is fundamental in providing excellent service to our community.

Your future. Made here.

This posting may be used to fill current and future vacancies.

Watch this video for application best practices and tips.
This position may have access to systems or other documentation that contains HIPAA data.

Invitations to interview will be based upon an assessment of education and experience.
Final candidates may be required to complete a background check.

If you have any questions, please contact:
Talent Acquisition division
Hennepin County Human Resources department
Submit a request at hennepin.us/ask-hr or 612-348-7855