Internships in the Department of Administration of Justice provide a field experience placement involving orientation and practical training in a professional workplace. Administration of justice majors completing internships make contacts and meet significant members of the justice system, enabling them to hit the ground running upon graduation.
Students completing internships are exposed to and involved in the functions of a specific agency, department or office, and the learning experience will vary with the particular placement area. Students who choose a concentration in juvenile justice pursue an internship with an agency or organization that works to stem the growing problem of juvenile delinquency.
An administration of justice internship includes the professional experience and satisfactory completion of academic requirements associated with a classroom experience. A minimum of eight hours per week, 120 hours per semester, is required along with a course paper and a classroom experience.
Internship Opportunities
Administration of justice majors have attained internships with some of the following:
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Law firms
- Naval Criminal Investigative Service
- Residential programs for youth
- Rhode Island court system
- Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency
- Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General
- Rhode Island Office of the Public Defender
- Rhode Island Training School
- State and local police departments
- U.S. Department of Education
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security
- U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
- U.S. Marshals Service
- U.S. Secret Service
Security clearances may be required for government internships, and careful planning is necessary to facilitate this process. Internships are competitive.
What Can an Internship Provide?
At Salve Regina, we believe that practical experience should be part of a student's comprehensive education. We feel that a strong background in theory is enhanced by a "real life" understanding of how such academic knowledge is applied. Obviously, it is no different in the administration of justice field, where practical knowledge is key. An internship is an excellent resume builder. During an internship, students meet significant members of the justice community and make contacts. This enables them to hit the ground running upon graduation, an important advantage given the highly competitive nature of the justice field. More employers are seeking candidates with experience gained through internships.
What Skills Will an Internship Develop?
Regardless of how much information is learned in the classroom, internships provide students with hands-on abilities that will prepare them for a career in the justice field. An internship provides the perfect appendix to a student's book of justice knowledge.
What Kinds of Tasks do Interns Perform?
- Analysis of data
- Bookings
- Community policing
- Emergency planning
- Investigations
- Interviewing
- Juvenile counseling
- Legal research
- Policy review
What do Students Say About Their Experience?
Intern for a local police department: "It was a great experience that I feel has given me an edge as a student and as a potential law enforcement officer."
Intern for the Rhode Island State Police: "What I think really helped me out personally was not so much what I learned, which was impressive, but it was the invaluable contacts I was able to make."