DiscoverCorrections.com Internship and Volunteer Opportunities Listing

Whether you are a current student, new graduate or simply interested in obtaining on-the-job experience in the field of corrections, an internship or volunteer opportunity can provide you with the hands-on learning that you require.

Below please find a list of opportunities at various levels throughout the nation. This list will be added to and updated over time. If you are aware of an opportunity that is missing from this list or find that information on this list that is outdated, please contact us.

Federal:

  • Federal Bureau of Prisons-- Psychology pre-doctoral internship program provides hands-on experience at 13 sites nationwide in clinical and counseling psychology, with some sites offering experience in forensic assessment, substance abuse treatment, behavioral medicine, or special treatment populations.You can also find additional volunteer and internships opportunities, including in public health and law.
  • United States Probation Office – District of Kansas—Unpaid probation internship (open continuous)
  • United States Probation Office-- Middle District of North Carolina—Unpaid volunteer and internship opportunities may exist as needed to provide experience in probation/supervised release caseloads and service to the court.

State:

  • Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections—Unpaid internship opportunity for students to obtain experience in a juvenile correctional setting. Training is mandatory for all interns and takes place twice per year in May and August.
  • California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), Office of Legal Affairs—Variety of unpaid and paid correctional law internships through their Summer Intern, Clinical Intern, Work-Study Intern, Graduate Student Assistant, and Graduate Legal Assistantprograms.
  • State of California Department of Justice Office of the Attorney General—Variety of volunteer and internships positions in the legal field, including correctional law, correctional writs and appeals, and executive positions.
  • Colorado Department of Corrections—Volunteer opportunities exist under the Faith and Citizen Programs, including addiction rehabilitation; basic educational programs; faith group chaplains, spiritual advisors, and services; parenting programs; recreational programs; and reintegration programs (inside/ outside of prison). With the exception of clinical internships,CDOC is not accepting correctional or criminal justice internships at this time.
  • Connecticut Department of Correction—Unpaid volunteer, internship, and professional partner opportunities regarding recovery, re-entry and institutional services, including addiction services, clerical/administrative, health/medical, probation/parole, and many other positions.
  • Florida Department of Corrections—Variety of unpaid (unless otherwise noted) internship opportunities, including for undergraduate, graduate, and doctorial level candidates, along with opportunities to volunteer.
  • Georgia Department of Corrections—Variety of internship opportunities to those currently enrolled in collegeat junior orsenior level or pursuing a Master'sdegree or higher.
  • Idaho Department of Correction—Variety of unpaid (unless otherwise noted)internship opportunities based on current openings, including addiction counseling, probation/parole, IT, fiscal, case management, and many other positions.Internships in P.O.S.T.-certified positions require the intern to meet P.O.S.T. minimum standards for certification.
  • Iowa Department of Corrections—Variety of unpaid internship opportunities in various roles, including administration, dietary, health services, maintenance/grounds, and counseling/treatment.
  • Kansas Department of Corrections—Volunteer and internship opportunities, along with Veterans Training Opportunities (VTO) program for veterans or those currently in the guard or reserve that provides on-the-job-training (OJT) and apprenticeship.
  • Kentucky Department of Corrections—Pre-doctoral internship in professional psychology through Division of Mental Health that involves major and minor rotations to provide hands-on experience in various settings and with various populations.
  • Massachusetts Department of Correction—Variety of internships for spring, summer and fall terms
  • Massachusetts Parole Board—Unpaid parole internship for spring, summer and fall terms
  • Minnesota Department of Corrections—Variety of internship opportunities at various facilities, including probation, treatment, casework, educational, investigative, human resources, and many other positions.
  • Missouri Department of Corrections—Variety of volunteer and internship opportunities in various correctional settings, including correctional centers, community release centers, community supervision centers and Probation and Parole district offices. Interns will be provided with the opportunity to work directly with offenders.
  • Montana Department of Corrections—Internship opportunity may exist for Treasure State Correctional Training Center(TSCTC) Student Intern, although it is unclear if this is an open continuous opening or otherwise.
  • The New Jersey State Parole Board—Student Internship Program designed for those entering the job market within 12-24 months or those who have not yet decided whether to pursue a career associated with offender populations. Internship focus can include criminal justice and law enforcement, community corrections, social work, and psychology.
  • North Carolina Department of Public Safety—Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) Internship Program provides unpaid internship opportunities for degree-seeking students who are at least at the sophomore level. The Court Services Section of the Division of Juvenile Justice requires interns to be at least a junior.Other settings include juvenile detention centers and youth development centers.
  • North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation—Internship opportunities at 4 secure facilities, as well as district offices, along with volunteer opportunities to work with adult and youth offenders.
  • Pennsylvania Department of Corrections—Unpaid student internships at various state correctional institutions. Paid internship opportunities may exist on occasion with the Bureau of Correctional Industries division.
  • Rhode Island Department of Corrections—Variety of unpaid volunteer opportunities, like Adult Probation and Parole Department and Parent/Child Visitation Program, along with student internships both in institutional and community corrections settings.
  • Virginia Department of Corrections— Variety of unpaid volunteer opportunities, including in the areas of religion, substance abuse, support groups and counseling, life skills, family life programs, case management and transition programs and within prison facilities and community-based correctional programs.
  • State of Wisconsin Department of Corrections Division of Juvenile Corrections—Paid 1-year full-time internship in Professional Psychology is offered, as accredited by the American Psychology Association, providing the opportunity to work with both male and female youth at 2 facilities. Application is generally restricted to students from doctoral programs accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) in Counseling, School, or Clinical Psychology.

City/County/Local:

  • Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts (AOIC) (IL)-- All divisions of Court Services accept interns from accredited four-year colleges and universities. Juvenile detention internships at the Juvenile Detention Center are also available.
  • Anne Arundel County (MD)—Internship opportunity may exist for Correctional Intern, although it is unclear if this is an open continuous opening or otherwise.
  • Blue Earth County Probation Department (MN)-- Volunteer and Probation Internship Program designed to provide adult and juvenile probation and/or parole experience during fall, winter, and spring semesters.
  • Broward County Sheriff’s Office (FL)—Variety of unpaid volunteer and internship opportunities for fall, spring, and summer that offer experience in the public safety field.
  • Carver County (MN)—Possibility of internship opportunities for students and/or graduates in the field of court services.
  • Central MinnesotaCommunity Corrections (MN)—Unpaid volunteer and internship opportunities for college juniors and above providing exposure in both the adult and juvenile fields, including direct interaction with offenders.
  • Dakota County Community Corrections (MN)—Variety of volunteer and internship opportunities in a community corrections setting, including working with adults and juveniles.
  • Davidson County Sheriff’s Office (TN)— Internship opportunity may exist
  • DuPage County Probation and Court Services (IL)—Internships for students at the undergraduate and graduate level to provide practical experience in the criminal justice areas of adult probation, juvenile probation and the juvenile detention facility.
  • Fifth Judicial District Department of Correctional Services (IA)-- Variety of internship opportunitiesfor criminal justice and human service students in the following areas/roles: Probation Parole Officer; Residential Officer; Pre-Trial Programming; Drug Court Program; Group Facilitation; Assessment Center; and Day Programming.Volunteer opportunities may also exist.
  • Hamilton County Probation Department (IN)—Internship opportunities provideexperience in all aspects of probation, including direct contact with probationers.
  • Hampton Newport News Criminal Justice Agency (VA)-- Variety of volunteer and internship opportunities in various divisions, including Community Corrections Division internship and Pretrial Services internship that is open to undergraduate and graduate students interested in public safety, criminal justice, sociology, social work, psychology, education, counseling or similar areas. Areas of specialty include community service, substance abuse, anger management, and/or batterer's intervention education and treatment.
  • Hennepin County Department of Community Corrections and Rehabilitation (MN)—Variety of unpaid volunteer and internship opportunities in the department’s various divisions, including adult and juvenile probation, adult corrections, family court, and juvenile detention.
  • Henry County Probation Department (IN)—Unpaid internship opportunities for college students to gain experience in probation services.
  • Iowa Eighth Judicial District Department of Correctional Services (IA)—Internships are available at both the Burlington and Ottumwa Residential Correctional Facilities for students currently enrolled in an accredited junior college, college, or university program leading to a degree in criminal justice or a related field.
  • James City County/ Colonial Community Corrections (VA)—Opportunity for internships, as well as to assist the police in a volunteering capacity as a member of the Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS) Program.
  • Johnson County Department of Corrections (KS)—Internships in residential and field settings for fall, spring, and summer
  • Larimer County (CO)—Variety of unpaid volunteer and internship opportunities, including internships involving case management, evaluations, pretrial release services, mental health, and intensive residential treatment and aftercare. Volunteering could include tutoring or mentoring responsibilities.
  • Lexington-Fayette County Urban Government (KY)—Variety of unpaid internship opportunities, including community corrections, social services, and public safety.
  • Marion Superior Court Probation Department (IN)—Variety of unpaid part-time and full-time internship opportunities for Associates, Bachelors and Masters degree students.
  • Montgomery County Department of Correction And Rehabilitation (MD)-- Paid and unpaid pre-release and reentry servicesinternships
  • New York City Department of Probation (NY)—Variety of volunteer and internship opportunities that range from 3 months to 1 year, including criminal justice, human services, social work, law, IT, public administration, and many other positions.
  • Nineteenth Judicial Circuit of Lake County, Illinois—Variety of volunteer and internship opportunities, including Probation Support Volunteer Program that supports the Group Reporting Program designed to reduce recidivism amongst medium to low-risk offenders. Listing of other related local volunteer activities.Adult Probation Internposition may be offered.
  • Oakland County Circuit Court (MI)— Paid and academic/experiential internship opportunities are available at Oakland County during all semesters of the year.They also have a Summer Job Program for students unable to work or intern during the school year.
  • Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office (MN)—Possibility of unpaid internship opportunity for students requiring an internship as part of their college curriculum.
  • Orange County (FL)—Variety of volunteer and internship opportunities within the county government, including in criminology.
  • Ramsey County (MN)—Unpaid volunteer and internship opportunities to work with both juvenile and adult client/offenders in various community corrections settings.
  • Rappahannock Regional Jail (VA)—Unpaid Community Based Probation, Drug Treatment Court, and Pretrial Services internships with a preference towards college seniors.
  • Rice County Community Corrections (MN)—Volunteer and internship opportunities to gain experience in adult and juvenile probation and administration of community corrections under Minnesota's Community Correction Act.
  • Riverside County Probation Department (CA)—Volunteers in Probation (VIPs) and internship opportunities, along with Auxiliaries who raise money for juveniles through fundraising events (open continuous with no eligible candidate being turned away).
  • Sacramento County Probation Department (CA)—Unpaid probation internship and volunteer opportunities that involvelearning job functions of Probation Aides, Probation Assistants and Probation Officers.
  • Scott County Community Corrections (MN)—Internships are available for both pre- (junior or senior) and post-graduate students with a criminal justice or related degree. Interns will be provided equal exposure to all divisions, but assigned specifically to the unit of their choice: Adult, Juvenile, Juvenile Alternative Facility or Intake/Pre-trial, including direct interaction with offenders. Applications are accepted year-round.
  • Solano County Probation (CA)—Internships are available for college students taking criminal justice, sociology, psychology, and/or social work degrees to become familiar with the clerical aspects and responsibilities of being a probation officer.
  • Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department (MA)—Variety of volunteer and internship opportunities to work in various divisions within the department.
  • Superior Court of Arizona in Maricopa County (AZ)—Variety of volunteer opportunities, including under their Court Ambassador, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), and Guardian Review programs.
  • Washington County Community Corrections (MN)—Variety of volunteer and internshipopportunities in a community corrections setting, including adult probation and pre-trial services, cognitive behavioral programs, and juvenile probation supervision. They encourage those with bicultural and/or bilingual experience to apply.
  • Washington County Community Corrections Department (OR)—Variety of volunteer and internship mental health counseling opportunitiesproviding treatment to both offenders and crime victims.
  • Westchester County (NY)—Opportunity for internship for college students to work with The Westchester County Department of Probationlearning about work in the criminal justice system.
  • Yuma County Adult Probation (AZ)—The department offers internships through a program in conjunction and collaboration with Northern Arizona University-Yuma and Arizona Western College. Student interns are utilized to promote their education in the criminal justice field and aid probation/surveillance officers in the performance of their duties. Volunteer opportunities are also available to those who are not students.

Private/Non-Profit Organizations:

  • American Correctional Association (ACA)—Variety of internships, including standards/accreditation, professional development, publications/communications, government/public affairs, IT, conventions/corporate relations, and membership/finances.
  • Community Renewal Team, Inc. (CT)—Variety of volunteer and internship opportunities in a community services environment, including community corrections involving alternative sentencing and re-entry.
  • Dismas House New Mexico (NM)— Structured internship programthat provides up to 4 interns with an opportunity towork with residents under the directsupervision of the Program Manager to gain experience in case management, assessments, behavior modification, relapse prevention, groups, and helping residents build sustainable life skills. Volunteer opportunities also exist.
  • The Pennsylvania Prison Society (PA)—Internship opportunity that provides a hands-on experience to learn about public safety and the correctional system, along with meeting the complex needs of prisoners and their families. There are also opportunities to volunteer and become an Official Visitor.

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