Criminal justice internships span law enforcement agencies, courts, prosecutors' offices, public defenders, federal agencies like the FBI and DEA, probation departments, victim advocacy organizations, and policy research centers. Most programs require a background check. Start applying by fall of your junior year, and know that your internship choice significantly shapes which branch of the justice system you enter after graduation.
Marcus assumed criminal justice internships meant ride-alongs with police officers. When his advisor handed him a list of options — the U.S. Marshals Service, a district attorney's office, a juvenile detention alternative program, a policy think tank, a victim services organization — he realized the field was far wider than any cop show had prepared him for.
The hidden anxiety for criminal justice students isn't about finding an internship. It's about choosing the right one from a system with wildly different career paths that all share the same major name. A semester at a prosecutor's office and a semester at a public defender's office lead to fundamentally different worldviews and career trajectories. Your internship isn't just building your resume. It's helping you decide what part of the justice system you believe in.
If you're weighing whether a criminal justice degree is worth it, the internship landscape reveals how diverse the field actually is. Our criminal justice careers guide covers the full range of professional paths.
When to Start Looking for Criminal Justice Internships
Criminal justice internships operate on different timelines depending on the agency type.
Freshman year: Start taking criminal justice courses to identify which area of the system interests you most. Law enforcement, courts, corrections, victim services, and policy are all distinct tracks. Volunteer with community organizations that work with justice-involved populations.
Sophomore year: Begin researching specific agencies and programs. Federal agencies like the FBI have lengthy application processes that require early planning. Start building relationships with professors who have connections to local courts, police departments, and agencies.
Junior year (fall): Apply to structured federal programs (FBI Honors Internship, DEA internships, U.S. Marshals) well in advance — some have deadlines a full year before the internship starts. Apply to state and local agencies (prosecutor's offices, public defenders, probation departments) by October through February. Many local agencies accept applications on a rolling basis.
Senior year: Some criminal justice programs require a capstone internship during senior year. If yours does, secure it by the end of junior year. If you haven't interned yet, local agencies are your most accessible option.
Where to Find Criminal Justice Internships
Law enforcement agencies: Local police departments, county sheriff's offices, state police, and campus police all offer internship or ride-along programs. These typically involve observation, report writing, evidence processing, and community outreach support. Some departments have formal intern programs; others create positions on request.
Federal agencies: The FBI Honors Internship Program, DEA internships, U.S. Marshals Service, ATF, Secret Service, Department of Homeland Security, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement all run structured programs. These are competitive, require US citizenship and background checks, and provide exposure to federal law enforcement operations.
Prosecutors' offices: District attorney and state attorney offices hire interns to assist with case preparation, legal research, victim/witness coordination, and courtroom observation. This is one of the best ways to understand how criminal cases move through the system from the state's perspective.
Public defenders' offices: Working for the defense provides a completely different perspective on the justice system. Interns assist with client intake, case investigation, witness interviews, and trial preparation. If you're considering law school, experience on both sides of the courtroom is invaluable.
Courts: Federal, state, and local courts offer internships with judges, court administrators, and probation officers. These positions provide insight into sentencing, judicial decision-making, and court operations.
If you're considering law school, do at least one internship in a legal setting — prosecutor's office, public defender, or court. Law school admissions committees value applicants who understand what legal practice actually looks like. More importantly, you need to confirm that the daily reality of legal work matches your expectations before investing three years and six figures in a JD.
Probation and parole departments: State and county probation offices hire interns to assist probation officers with case management, home visits, and report preparation. This is frontline criminal justice work that most students overlook.
Victim advocacy organizations: Domestic violence shelters, victim assistance programs, rape crisis centers, and organizations like the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children provide internships focused on supporting people affected by crime rather than investigating or prosecuting it.
Policy and research organizations: The Vera Institute of Justice, Brennan Center for Justice, RAND Corporation, and various state criminal justice research centers hire interns for policy analysis, data work, and research projects.
Where to search: USAJobs.gov for federal positions, your state's court system website, local agency websites directly, Handshake, your professors' connections, and ACJS (Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences) resources.
Paid vs Unpaid: The Reality
Criminal justice internships have a significant unpaid contingent, particularly at government agencies and nonprofits operating under tight budgets.
Federal agency internships are typically paid through the Pathways Program or agency-specific stipend programs. Local law enforcement, courts, and prosecutors' offices are more often unpaid or offer only academic credit. Victim advocacy organizations and nonprofits usually cannot pay interns.
Many criminal justice internships require background checks, and some require drug testing. A criminal record, even a minor one, can disqualify you from law enforcement and some court positions. If you have any concerns about your background check, speak with your internship coordinator before applying. Some agencies are more flexible than others, and honesty during the application process is always better than an undisclosed issue surfacing during a background investigation.
Private security firms, corporate investigations companies, and private sector compliance departments are more likely to pay interns. If compensation is important, look beyond government agencies to the private sector side of criminal justice work.
Academic credit for unpaid internships is common in criminal justice programs, and many schools require an internship for graduation. Work with your department's internship coordinator to ensure you receive credit for your work.
What Employers Actually Want From Criminal Justice Interns
Discretion and professionalism. Criminal justice work involves sensitive information — victim identities, ongoing investigations, confidential legal strategies. Agencies evaluate whether interns can maintain confidentiality. One social media post about a case you're working on can end your internship and your career prospects in the field.
Writing skills. Police reports, court documents, case summaries, and policy briefs all require clear, precise writing. The ability to write a factual, organized report is one of the most important skills in every branch of criminal justice.
Cultural competence. The justice system interacts with people from every background, often during the worst moments of their lives. Agencies want interns who can communicate respectfully across differences and remain professional in emotionally charged situations.
According to BLS projections, employment for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors is expected to grow 19% from 2023 to 20331. This reflects a broader shift in criminal justice toward treatment and diversion approaches, creating career opportunities for criminal justice graduates who also understand social services and mental health.
Physical and emotional resilience. Some criminal justice internships expose you to graphic crime scenes, traumatic victim accounts, or stressful situations. Agencies assess whether interns can handle these realities without compromising their effectiveness or wellbeing. This isn't about being tough — it's about knowing your limits and having healthy coping strategies.
How to Stand Out in Your Application
Get relevant volunteer experience first. Volunteering with victim services organizations, court-appointed special advocates (CASA), or community policing programs demonstrates your commitment to the field before you ever apply for an internship.
Learn a second language. Spanish proficiency is enormously valuable in law enforcement, courts, and victim services in most parts of the country. Even conversational ability sets you apart from other applicants.
Take data and research methods courses. Criminal justice is increasingly evidence-based. Agencies and policy organizations value interns who can analyze crime data, evaluate program effectiveness, and interpret research findings. Statistics or research methods coursework makes you competitive for policy-oriented positions.
Maintain a clean social media presence. Background investigators will check your social media. Remove anything that could be interpreted as bias, poor judgment, or unprofessional behavior. This isn't about being boring — it's about demonstrating the discretion that criminal justice work requires.
Ask to do informational interviews with professionals at the type of agency where you want to intern. A 20-minute conversation with a detective, prosecutor, or probation officer tells you more about the daily reality of the work than any course. It also creates a connection that can lead directly to an internship opportunity. Most criminal justice professionals are willing to talk with students who show genuine interest.
What Nobody Tells You About Criminal Justice Internships
Your internship will shape your views on the justice system. Students who intern at prosecutors' offices tend to develop different perspectives than those who intern at public defenders' offices. Neither perspective is wrong, but both are incomplete. If possible, do internships on multiple sides of the system to develop a more nuanced understanding.
Federal agency internships are a pipeline to federal careers. If you intern with the FBI, DEA, or U.S. Marshals, you become a known quantity in their hiring system. Federal agencies prefer to hire people they've already evaluated, and a successful internship significantly increases your chances of receiving a full-time offer after graduation.
Corrections internships are the least popular but among the most eye-opening. Interning at a county jail, state prison, or juvenile detention facility shows you the part of the system most people never see. The experience is challenging but provides perspective that employers in every branch of criminal justice value.
Victim advocacy is a growing field. As the justice system increasingly emphasizes victim services, restorative justice, and diversion programs, the demand for professionals trained in victim support is growing. Internships with victim services organizations prepare you for a career path that most criminal justice programs barely mention.
The security clearance from a federal internship has lasting career value. Obtaining a security clearance during a federal internship creates career options in intelligence, homeland security, and defense that persist for years. The clearance itself is valuable because the investigation process is lengthy and expensive, so employers prefer candidates who already hold one.
FAQ
Do criminal justice internships require background checks?
Most do, especially at law enforcement agencies, courts, and federal agencies. The intensity of the background check varies — a local police department ride-along requires less investigation than an FBI internship. Be honest on all applications. Agencies are more understanding of minor issues disclosed upfront than those discovered during investigation.
What federal agencies offer criminal justice internships?
The FBI, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, Secret Service, DHS, ICE, CBP, and the Bureau of Prisons all offer internship programs. Apply through USAJobs.gov or each agency's specific internship portal. Most require US citizenship and have lengthy application timelines, so start the process six to twelve months before your desired start date.
Are criminal justice internships paid?
It varies. Federal agency internships through the Pathways Program are typically paid. Local police departments, courts, and prosecutors' offices are often unpaid or credit-only. Private sector positions in security, investigations, and compliance are more likely to be paid. NACE data shows significant variation in compensation across public sector internships2.
Should I intern at a police department or a court?
That depends on your career interests. If you're considering law enforcement, a police department internship gives you direct exposure to patrol, investigations, and community policing. If you're considering law school or a legal career, a court or prosecutor's office internship is more relevant. If you're unsure, try one of each in different semesters.
Can a criminal justice internship help me get into law school?
Yes. Law school admissions committees value legal experience, and internships at prosecutors' offices, public defenders, courts, and policy organizations demonstrate your understanding of how the legal system functions. Pair the internship with a strong LSAT score and you'll have a more compelling application than a student with only academic credentials.
- Criminal Justice Degree Guide — Overview
- Is It Worth It?
- Career Paths
- Salary Data
- Requirements
- How Hard Is It?
- Best Colleges
Footnotes
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U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2024). Occupational Outlook Handbook: Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors. BLS. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/substance-abuse-behavioral-disorder-and-mental-health-counselors.htm ↩
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National Association of Colleges and Employers. (2024). Internship & Co-op Report. NACE. https://www.naceweb.org/talent-acquisition/internships/ ↩
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U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2024). Occupational Outlook Handbook: Police and Detectives. BLS. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/protective-service/police-and-detectives.htm ↩