Criminal Justice Internships for Undergraduates: A Comprehensive Guide

For undergraduate students pursuing a career in criminal justice, internships offer invaluable real-world experience, networking opportunities, and a chance to apply classroom knowledge to practical situations. These internships can be found in various settings, including law enforcement agencies, legal organizations, and governmental bodies. This article explores the requirements, benefits, and application processes for criminal justice internships, providing a comprehensive guide for students seeking to enhance their academic and professional development.

Benefits of Criminal Justice Internships

Criminal justice internships provide numerous benefits for undergraduate students. They offer a unique opportunity to:

Gain Practical Experience: Interns get hands-on experience in the field, working alongside professionals and contributing to real cases and projects. As Grace noted, internships can be "the absolute opposite of…scanning papers and…small tasks," instead offering opportunities to "help on real cases" and do "real investigative work."
Apply Academic Knowledge: Internships allow students to apply the theories and concepts learned in the classroom to real-world scenarios. Joshua, an intern working in white-collar crime, found that his internship "really applies to what I’ve been doing at school studying business," allowing him to use his academic knowledge in practical settings.
Explore Career Options: Internships can help students explore different career paths within criminal justice, allowing them to discover their interests and strengths. Joshua's experience "totally changed my perspective of what I saw my future as," opening his mind to career options he hadn't previously considered.
Develop Professional Skills: Internships help students develop essential professional skills such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and critical thinking.
Build a Professional Network: Interns have the opportunity to network with professionals in the field, building relationships that can lead to future job opportunities.
Enhance Resume: Completing an internship enhances a student's resume, making them more competitive in the job market.
Personal Growth: Internships foster personal growth by building confidence, independence, and a sense of responsibility.

Types of Criminal Justice Internship Agencies

Internship opportunities exist across a wide range of criminal justice agencies, catering to diverse interests and career goals. These agencies typically fall into the following categories:

Legal Agencies

These agencies provide opportunities for students interested in law-related fields, such as lawyers, law clerks, and legal secretaries. Examples include:

Public Defender Offices: The 15th and 16th District Public Defender Offices focus on providing indigent defenders with their Constitutional Right to Appointed Counsel. The 15th Judicial District covers Acadia, Vermilion, and Lafayette parishes, while the 16th Judicial District is housed in New Iberia and covers eight sections of District Court, five City Courts (Franklin, New Iberia, Jeanerette, Breaux Bridge, and Morgan City), and two Mayor's Courts (Patterson and St. Martinville).
Acadiana Legal Services: This not-for-profit agency handles non-criminal legal cases for qualifying applicants.
Private Law Firms: The Dill Law Firm, for example, specializes in Insurance Defense.

Law Enforcement Agencies

These agencies allow interns to observe and participate in various aspects of law enforcement, from patrol and investigation to court observation and warrant issues. Examples include:

Read also: Curriculum Overview

Local Police Departments: These agencies focus on serving the community with courage, dedication, compassion, and integrity. They deliver services to specific parishes or cities.
Sheriff's Offices: These agencies focus on maintaining social order within carefully prescribed ethical, constitutional, and legal restrictions.
Specialized Law Enforcement Units: The Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and its forensic High Technology Investigative Unit (HTIU) are the nation’s experts in investigating and prosecuting high-technology federal child exploitation cases and crimes.
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI): The FBI offers internships where students can assist with various tasks and gain insight into the workings of a federal law enforcement agency.

Correctional and Rehabilitation Agencies

These agencies focus on the supervision and rehabilitation of offenders, providing interns with opportunities to work with probation officers, parole officers, and other professionals in the field. Examples include:

Probation and Parole Offices: These agencies are responsible for the investigation and supervision of adjudicated adult offenders as they adjust and reintegrate into society.

Victim Services Agencies

These agencies provide support and advocacy for victims of crime, offering interns the chance to make a positive impact on the lives of those affected by violence and abuse. Examples include:

Family Violence Intervention Programs: The mission of these programs is to ensure the safety of victims of family violence and their children by holding abusers accountable for their criminal behavior.
Faith Houses: These agencies focus on the protection of victims of family violence.

Other Criminal Justice-Related Agencies

These agencies offer supervised experiences in administrative settings, providing opportunities to integrate theory and practice in criminal justice-related fields.

Internship Requirements and Qualifications

The requirements and qualifications for criminal justice internships vary depending on the agency and the specific position. However, some common requirements include:

Academic Standing: Most internships require students to be currently enrolled in a college, university, or comparable educational institution, either full-time or part-time. Some agencies, like CEOS, only accept junior and senior students. A minimum GPA, such as a "B"/3.0, is often required.
Major: While criminal justice majors are often preferred, some agencies accept students from related fields such as forensic science, information technology, and even STEM fields.
Background Check: A criminal background check is a standard requirement for most criminal justice internships. Some agencies may also require a polygraph examination.
Security Clearance: Certain internships, particularly those with federal agencies, may require obtaining a proper security clearance after a review conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Commitment: Internships typically require a minimum time commitment, such as 150 hours of service at an approved agency. Some agencies have specific weekly hour requirements, such as the CEOS, which requires spring and fall applicants to work at least 24 hours per week for a minimum of 10 weeks.
Driver's License: Some internships may require interns to operate agency vehicles, necessitating a valid driver's license and a good driving history.
Citizenship: U.S. citizenship may be required for certain internships, particularly those with federal agencies.

Application Process

The application process for criminal justice internships can be competitive and may involve several steps:

Research and Identify Potential Agencies: Students should research different criminal justice agencies and identify those that align with their interests and career goals. Resources such as the Directory of Internship Placements can be helpful in this process.
Contact the Agency: Students should contact the agency person-of-contact (POC) to inquire about application requirements and deadlines. Applying for an internship is similar to applying for a job, and persistence often pays off.
Submit Application Materials: Application materials typically include a resume, cover letter, and transcripts. The cover letter should be addressed to the appropriate contact person, such as the Internship Coordinators at CEOS. Some agencies may require additional documents, such as an internship application form or questionnaire.
Prepare for the Interview: If selected for an interview, students should prepare by researching the agency and practicing common interview questions.
Complete Background Check and Security Clearance: If offered an internship, students will likely need to complete a background check and, in some cases, obtain a security clearance.
Attend Orientation and Training: Once accepted into the internship program, students will typically attend an orientation and receive training on agency policies and procedures.

Key Considerations for a Successful Internship

To make the most of a criminal justice internship, students should consider the following:

Professionalism: Interns should maintain a professional demeanor at all times, adhering to the agency's dress code and conduct code.
Initiative: Interns should take initiative and be proactive in seeking out opportunities to learn and contribute.
Communication: Interns should communicate effectively with their supervisors and colleagues, asking questions and seeking feedback.
Time Management: Interns should manage their time effectively to meet deadlines and complete assigned tasks.
Networking: Interns should take advantage of networking opportunities to build relationships with professionals in the field.
Evaluation: At the conclusion of the internship, interns should complete a written evaluation of their experience, providing feedback on the program's strengths and weaknesses.

Examples of Internship Experiences

Several interns have shared their experiences, highlighting the diverse opportunities and valuable lessons learned during their criminal justice internships:

Grace: Initially expecting to perform menial tasks, Grace was surprised to find herself working on real cases and doing real investigative work.
Joshua: Joshua found that his internship in white-collar crime directly applied to his business studies, allowing him to use his academic knowledge in practical settings.
Laura: Laura worked with the Computer Analysis Response Team (CART), gaining experience in digital forensics and working on a variety of investigations, including gang investigations, violent crimes against children, and counter-terrorism.
Ashley: Ashley, whose father is an FBI agent, was surprised by the sense of community and family within the Bureau.
Myisha: Myisha learned that the people at the FBI are "really nice people" and gained insight into the inner workings of the agency.
Laura: Laura found the most fulfilling experience to be watching cases go from the very beginning to the very end, attending sentencings and seeing the cases all the way through.

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