Pioneering the CJCJ court services model as a way to address problems plaguing the over-worked public defense system.
CJCJ provides comprehensive, culturally-appropriate, gender-responsive, individually-tailored expert witness testimony, court navigation, andcase mitigation services. Our necessary and unique services are fueled by the purpose and passion gained from decades of experience working with and engaging the criminal justice system at all levels.
Our services are available for testimony and/or consulting as an expert witness in state and federal court proceedings. An expert witness’s duty is to apply their extensive knowledge to provide professional opinion to the tribunal or court on particular matters in dispute. Our current team has testified in numerous criminal cases involving drugs, and behaviors associated with drug usage.
Our goal when testifying is to give an open, honest, and unbiased assessment of the facts presented based on extensive experience in the field of drug addiction and criminality. We have seen first hand the difference credible and accessible expert testimony can make when it comes to jury and court deliberation and decisions. We see our expert witness services an opportunity to leverage CJCJ’s purpose, passion, and experience to support community members in need of additional assistance with their cases.
We play an integral role in investigating, analyzing, developing, and presenting the life history of clients. This is done by gathering and summarizing social history records; and conducting interviews in a culturally competent manner. We search for and uphold relevant knowledge about the client’s early childhood development, education, and employment, as well as their medical and mental health histories; and prepare work product related to our outreach and research.
We then provide a comprehensive social history and if needed, a subsequent presentation, of our client based on an exhaustive investigation. Other duties include recommending and consulting with experts; developing/maintaining relationships with clients, their family members, and other witnesses; and other relevant responsibilities as assigned.
Through our decades of experience with court navigation, sentencing mitigation, and expert witness testimony services CJCJ has fostered a wealth of relationships in San Francisco and throughout the state in both courtrooms and communities. We are happy to assist with resource suggestions when available and connecting agency and individuals wherever appropriate.
CJCJ has been offering these powerful resources, support, and assistance in one form or another for over three decades. Our experts providing these services are often, but not exclusively, formerly incarcerated and system-impacted themselves. This experiential knowledge of the systemic barriers and repercussions of the criminal justice system fuels the work we do, and we believe produces better opportunities, resources, and outcomes as a result.
We look forward to speaking with you about our services. If you have questions and/or would like to retain our services, please contact us via email here.