What do mitigation specialists do?

Mitigation specialists investigate and gather detailed information about their clients’ life histories. Their clients are usually people who have been accused or convicted of serious crimes. Mitigation specialists are very important parts of the legal defense team, especially in cases where someone could face the death penalty. Their reports provide information on their client’s development, identifying any “mitigating factors” which are experiences or circumstances that may help a judge or jury better understand the person’s behavior and possibly reduce their sentence. They find specialized experts, such as doctors or mental health professionals, when needed and help others evaluate cases that enter mitigation.

What does a typical day look like in this job?

On a typical day, a mitigation specialist may assist attorneys in investigating a client’s background by interviewing the client and people relevant to the client, such as family members, teachers, or friends. Mitigation specialists may also request records from the client’s schools, doctors, or past employers. They may also collaborate with other experts and work on building a relationship of trust with the client and people connected to the client. After gathering this information, mitigation specialists organize their findings and write detailed reports that are used by attorneys and presented to the court during sentencing.  

What skills or abilities are important for this job?

Mitigation specialists must have excellent research, investigation, and critical thinking skills. They must be strong communicators and know how to effectively build trust with their clients and other relevant people. They must be able to organize large amounts of information collected and present it to the court in a well-written report. In addition, they need empathy and compassion so they can listen without judgement. They also need emotional resilience and healthy coping skills to manage stress and the emotional impact of the work.  

What kind of education, certification, or training is required?

To become a mitigation specialist, candidates must have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a field such as social work, psychology, criminal justice, or another social science. Some employers prefer candidates with a master’s degree. Most positions also require at least two to three years of experience in social services, research, criminal defense, or mitigation work.

What is challenging about this job?

One challenge of being a mitigation specialist is learning about the difficult and often painful experiences in clients’ lives. Mitigation specialists regularly hear stories about trauma, abuse, poverty, and their hardships. Listening to these experiences over time can be emotionally heavy and may affect a person’s mood or mental health. Another challenge is the high-stakes pressure. The information they gather can affect the sentence a client receives. In very serious cases, especially those involving the death penalty, the pressure can be intense because the outcome has life-changing consequences. 

What is the average salary in Arizona? 

Visit GovSalaries to view current information regarding mitigation specialist salaries in Arizona.