Top Internships for Criminal Justice Majors

The top internships for criminal justice majors can provide the real-world experience essential to be considered for the highly competitive jobs in the criminal justice field. Fortunately, the agencies connected to the field are generally open to hosting internship programs for students. These agencies comprise of courts, government, and correctional facilities.

Internship Opportunities

Eager students can sink their teeth into the job by being where the action really is instead of limiting studies to purely academic endeavors. The criminal justice world demands practicability and reality from the people who choose to be part of it. Nothing can introduce students better to its environment than an actual on- the- job training provided by an internship.

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Almost all fields in the criminal justice provide internship opportunities to students and graduates. The top five as to availability includes police stations, crime labs, law officer, county courthouses, and non-profit organizations. Interning at police stations usually consists of front office work or riding along with a police officer. For those whose interest lies in forensic science, crime lab internship provides hands-on learning on evidence procedures, drug analysis, and forensic testing, among others. Internships at a law office help students better understand the daily activities of attorneys and paralegals. Courthouses are where the real meat of the criminal justice system happens. Non-profit organizations essentially exist to help the underprivileged including those that badly need legal assistance. Internship in this type of organization provides the exposure that can only be provided by interacting with different kinds of people.

Opportunities for internship also exist in probation offices, juvenile detention centers, and agencies of the federal government.

Specific Internships

There are a number of agencies offering specific internship programs to qualified students. One is the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) who recruits the most competitive students actively pursuing a bachelor or master’s degree. Another is the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) which allows interns to train in intelligence, forensic chemistry, investigations and information technology. The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) offers qualified candidates for permanent positions specifically on those who complete a criminology program.

The US International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) provides internship opportunities to students who have strong writing skills and computer knowledge. Knowledge of foreign languages aside from English is considered an advantage. The US Border Patrol offers internship to students interested in learning about immigration laws and duties of border patrol agents. The Coast Guard offers internship to students through a public affairs role seeking to promote the accomplishments within the force. Child Protective Service internship can provide relevant experience in relation to child neglect and abuse.

General Internship Requirements

Internships are usually cooperative efforts between educational institutions offering degree programs and the different criminal justice agencies in the country. Students are required to work under the supervision of a criminal justice professional and shall be entitled to receive academic credit. There are requirements for minimum GPA, number of hours completed in criminal justice course, and the perceived ability of a student to complete the internship successfully. Students will never forget their experiences in the top 5 internships of criminal justice majors.