The partnership of Hall & Welks consists of Dr. Jozlyn Hall and January Welks. After over a decade of working on separate sides of the table, we have joined together to combine over 27 years of experience in working with criminal defendants. Dr. Hall has a doctorate in Psychology and Religious Studies, along with a Master of Social Work. Over the past 13 years, Dr. Hall has served the community and the Court by assessing and developing unmatched rapport with criminal defendants to assist with sentence modifications, sentence commutations, re-entry plans and treatment recommendations. Ms. Welks has a Master of Criminal Justice with coursework focused on forensic assessment. Over the past 14 years, Ms. Welks has worked as a United States Probation Officer, and in September 2023, she elected to take early retirement to pursue mitigation work with Dr. Hall. Ms. Welks has always sought to identify a criminal defendant’s needs so that a plan could be put in place for their release and then continued freedom in the community. The Hall & Welks mission is to value each individual and bring dignity and respect to their lives, regardless of the criminal act charged or committed.
As Mitigation Specialists, we present an individual’s story to advocate for the most favorable outcome, whether on the pretrial or post-conviction phase of the case. We provide expert insight into criminal culpability to help the Courts understand a defendant’s mental health and/or developmental disorders.
We explore the histories of our clients to create a comprehensive, but concise bio-psycho social report and an individualized treatment or re-entry plan. Dr. Hall’s education, an MSW, Ph.D in Religious Studies and Psy.D, sets her apart from other Mitigation Specialists as she is able to conduct the same assessments that licensed psychologists use. Dr. Hall began her career in social work and will always be a social worker at heart. Having the experience of a seasoned social worker and the skills acquired through Pastoral Counseling has resulted in a unique knowledge and experience base, creating a trusting working relationship with clients. Dr. Hall went on to earn a Doctorate in Psychology so she could conduct assessments, making the process more time and cost efficient.
Our assessments and reports can be used pre-trial for a favorable offer or diversionary programs, at sentencing, juvenile parole hearings, medical compassionate release, commutation hearings, or sentence modifications. It is best to engage our services pre-trial as we offer a unique perspective. Our work may help counsel identify the need for different experts.
Ms. Welks has extensive experience with re-entry planning, as she assisted with the development and implementation of Re-Entry Court at the Bridgeport U.S. District Court. Our treatment plans are designed for each individual client to lower the risk of recidivism. To determine the style of treatment that is best for each individual client, we use a battery of psychological and substance abuse tests to determine the level of risk, what style of therapy is appropriate, if a psychotropic medication evaluation is needed, and provide the individual with the tools they need to be successful in the community. This approach allows courts to sentence people to diversionary programs or to guide their conditions of probation or parole.