Undergraduate Internships

SCJ Internships

Karina Dilone
Karina Dilone, MA Program. Interning at Office of the Hudson County Prosecutor, Homicide Division.
Omnia Salem
Omnia Salem, Undergrad. Interning at Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, Special Victims Unit.
Efren Mercado, Undergrad. Interning at Newark Community Solutions, Newark Municipal Courts.
Brayan Nunez
Brayan Nunez, Undergrad. Interning at United States Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Agency.

The School of Criminal Justice values experiential learning as a key component to undergraduate and graduate studies. Internships, research, and field experiences can help students make informed decisions regarding their educational and career experiences. An internship can be a great, hands-on way to learn more about a specific aspect of the criminal justice field. It’s also a terrific way to make professional contacts.

The School of Criminal Justice offers academic credit for approved internships. Internships offer undergraduate students the opportunity to gain pre-professional experience in criminal justice. Credit for approved internships is granted through the course numbered 202:499.

Academic credit. In general, three hours of academic credit may be earned for 150 hours of internship experience. The course is graded pass/fail. There are 3 required classes over the course of the semester; 2 weeks after the semester begins, mid-term/ 75 completed hours and final 150 completed. Participation is mandatory.

Eligibility. Juniors or seniors (64+ credit hours) with a minimum grade point average of 3.3 are eligible to take an internship course.

Internship Approval

  1. Students must first verify with their APSS advisor that they meet the requirements to be considered for an internship and the internship class. Students can request an evaluation of their eligibility here: https://rutgers.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_262kiuYdNr87bym.
  2. Approved students then complete internship forms A and B, available here: SCJ Undergraduate Internship Packet. Once completed, please download and email to the SCJ Director of Community Outreach, Lori Scott-Pickens at lpickens@scj.rutgers.edu. Director Pickens must approve students to register for the internship course. Approved students will receive a special permission number from their APSS advisor.
  3. Students should begin preparing for the Internship course at least one semester prior to the time when they hope to take the internship course. Students need time to complete SCJ paperwork, search internship options, participate in agency interviews, complete background checks, and allow for the site to be vetted/approved by the CJ Director Of Outreach.

Internship Possibilities

Students are responsible for completing agency internship application process, including background checks.

POLICING
City of Newark
County Sheriff’s Departments
Office of Essex County Prosecutor
State of NJ Office of Public Defender
Office of County Prosecutor – Investigations
State of NJ Office of Attorney General
Federal Units ATF, DEA, FBI, Dept of Treasury
US Department of Homeland Security
NY/NJ Port Authority Police
NJ State Police
NJ Transit Police
Most Municipal Police Depts Where Students Live

COURTS
Newark Municipal Courts (Community/Youth Courts)
Superior Courts of New Jersey
Superior Courts of NJ, Criminal, Family and Civil – County
United States Federal Courts
Most Municipal Courts Where Students Live

PROBATION
US Federal Courts – Federal Probation

CORRECTIONS
NJ Department of Corrections
Edna Mahan Correction Center for Women
Northern State Prison
US Department of Prisons

RE-ENTRY
NJ Dept of Corrections
Center for Court Innovations
CJ Faculty Member Research Projects
Newark Public Safety Collaborative
Superior Courts of NJ – Dept of Probation in each County – Adults and Juveniles
Juvenile Justice Commission – Juvenile Parole
NJ Parole Board – Adult Parole
US Dept of Justice – Federal Probation

SOCIAL JUSTICE-POLICY/RESEARCH
American Civil Liberties Union
Equal Justice USA
NJ Institute for Social Justice
Vera Institute

Braven Accelerator

In partnership with Rutgers University-Newark, Braven exists to empower promising college students, like yourself, with the skills, networks, and experiences needed to transition into strong first jobs after graduation. With a tight labor market, getting started on career planning early will give you a competitive edge.

Together, Rutgers University-Newark and Braven are supporting  students on the path to economic mobility, which is shared in the 2021-2022 Braven Newark Impact Report.  

Braven offers a 3-credit class in which you will:

  • Meet 1x/week in a small cohort of 5-8 RU-N students led by a working professional
  • Figure out how to translate your academic skills to the professional world and build a career roadmap (10-year plan for your future) to get you there
  • Develop confidence and skills (problem solving, working in teams, and so much more!) needed in the workplace
  • Grow your network and gain access to mentorship and internship opportunities
  • Learn about internship and fieldwork possibilities

Sign up for more information here or reach out to Patrice Barnes at patrice@bebraven.org.  

Braven is just one of many resources available to students at the Rutgers – Newark campus. Visit the Career Development Center for any career-related services or visit their website at careers.newark.rutgers.edu.