Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is a Criminal Justice Research Center internship?

A. An internship with the CJRC is a work experience that combines real-world job placement with onsite learning. Unlike a regular job, an internship is designed to help you discover what kind of career you might want to pursue while learning important skills.  The CJRC internship placements have been established with professional government and private sector agencies to provide a dynamic, challenging opportunity to work in a professional setting alongside criminal justice, government, law, police and other professionals.

Q. Who should look for an internship?

A. If you haven't had professional work related experiences and are looking to enter a competitive field or apply to graduate or professional school, an internship is the right choice for you. CJRC internships are oriented towards high performing undergraduate students with a vision to provide an excellent work related experience in preparation for future work and/or further study.

Q. How do I start my internship job search?

A. The best place to start an internship search is right here!  The CJRC and the Sociology Advising Staff can provide information on opportunities with comprehensive details on each agency, the qualifications for each placement and the duties that will be performed.  It is helpful to discuss your career aspirations and goals with CJRC staff or your advisor to determine the best possible placement consistent with your goals.

Q. What kinds of internship positions are available through the CJRC?

A.  The Criminal Justice Research Center (CJRC) has established dynamic, hands-on internships which provide students the opportunity to gain experience in crucial aspects of social science research.  This includes working with primary and secondary data related to offenders/offenses, victimization, mental health, youthful offenders, reentry, law enforcement and/or criminal justice.  The duties performed in the internships vary widely based on the agency of the placement and often include special projects or very unique opportunities. We place students from a wide array of majors, interests and backgrounds into a very diverse number and types of placements.  We attempt to exercise flexibility in the selection of students and in the selection of placements to ensure that the needs of the students and needs of the agency supervisors are always paramount.

Q.  What are the days, working hours and locations?

A.  Each internship placement is different.  The days and working hours tend to be scheduled during regular business days (M-F) and hours (8:00 – 5:00), however, there are a few exceptions.  For example, some placements may request that students attend court hearings, special interviews, or team meetings.  This is discussed well in advance during the interview process.  Most agencies request that interns work a minimum of 10 hours per week.  This depends upon the needs of the agency and the needs of the student and is arranged in advance.  Since CJRC internships are field based, most placements are usually at the agency or organization’s main office.

Q. Will I get paid for an internship?

A. Most CJRC internships are unpaid.  A few of the agencies do hire for paid internships.  In the past, a number of placements have led to employment in the host agency.  Further, if you are successful in your placement, our field supervisors have been outstanding at assisting with the federal, state or local application processes.

Q. Can I get academic credit for completing the internship?

A. Yes. Academic credit can be earned in two ways.  Student needs and the field placements are very different.  You can register for the Internship program through the sociology department (Sociology 3191) and can earn academic credit for the placement.   Another method to earn academic credit is to register for Sociology 4998 (Research).  It is strongly recommended that you speak with your advisor regarding receiving credit and also discuss the details with the sociology advising staff in Townshend Hall. 

Q.  Where can I get additional information or apply for a CJRC Internship?

A.   For further information or to apply for a specific internship posting, please contact:

Christopher Yanai, Criminal Justice Program Manager.  (614) 688-8685, Email: Yanai.7@osu.edu