College of Behavioral and Social Sciences > Criminal Justice & Criminology > Internships

Internships

We strongly encourage students to enroll in our nationally acclaimed internship program. Internships provide an excellent opportunity for students to gain real-world experience in the field of criminal justice.

Students can work in a variety of settings (e.g. FBI, GBI, the White House, victim/witness assistance programs, Congress, non-profit organizations, etc.) to gain valuable experience and develop resources and networks for career and employment opportunities in agencies at the local, county, state, and federal level. Internships are offered with multiple credit and field hour requirements.

Spring 2023 Career and Internship Fair!

We had 23 agencies participate and 117 students. This fair provided the students the opportunity to network and establish some professional relationships. We heard from some of the agencies about how impressed they were by the level of interest in internships and employment opportunities. The agency representatives were excited that this fair gave them the opportunity to talk to students (one-on-one) about what is required to pursue a career in Criminal Justice and get students’ contact information. They also stated they were impressed by the questions students asked and the level of professionalism the students showed. They felt the students were very engaged.

Thank you to all who attended!! We are excited about these opportunities for our students!

Criminal Justice and Criminology Internship Coordinator

Eloise Pitt, Senior Lecturer

Statesboro Office: Carroll Building – Room 1092

Armstrong Office: University Hall – Room 243

Phone: (912) 478-8031

Email: EPitt@georgiasouthern.edu

Student Internship Success Stories

“DJJ and the Claxton RYDC has been an amazing internship opportunity. Working there has truly been eye-opening and has helped me decide what I want to pursue for my career. I recommend this experience to those who understand that the kids we work with are still kids and we have the opportunity to make a difference in their lives. It takes a special kind of person to be able to do this and I am thankful for the Claxton RYDC staff that have been able to help me be a part of it.”

Shelby Madden, CRJU Intern
Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice

“We absolutely love Shelby; she has become a part of our family. She is so pleasant and has had such a positive impact on both the youth and staff. She is open-minded and is eager to learn and picks up new skills quickly.” – Director, April DeShields, Claxton RYDC

“Shelby, whether you continue your career with DJJ or pursue another organization, for your career, we know you will do great things! Thank you for allowing DJJ to be apart of your journey.” – Ashaki M Gordon, State Volunteer and Intern Coordinator, Office of Professional Development & Standards, Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice

“I had the distinct pleasure of working as an intern for District One in Statesboro, GA, for the Department of Community Supervision (DCS). I had the opportunity to interact with officials responsible for monitoring parolees and probationers. Since the internship, I have become acquainted with the court staff and environment, preforms daily home checks on offenders, and assists with the daily operations of the office. The DCS internship have been very helpful to me in terms of expanding my professional networking circle, learning more about the criminal justice system, and learning how Georgia promotes rehabilitation. I would not trade this experience for anything. I strongly recommend every student who has an interest in law enforcement or social work to submit an application for the Department of Community Supervision.”

Mondrecus Kendrick, CRJU Intern
Anticipated Graduation: Spring 2023
GA Department of Community Supervision (DCS)

“I had the distinct pleasure of working as an intern for Region six in Milledgeville, Georgia, for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). I got the opportunity to get a first hand view of how our justice system operates. I was able to expand my career network of connections and learn the ins and outs of a variety of criminal investigations thanks to my internship with the GBI. The GBI internship is one of the best because you can actively take part in investigations, ask lots of questions, and receive respect as if you are a member of the agency. This has been the best experience of my entire life. I strongly recommend every student who has an interest in investigations or forensic science to submit an application for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Internship.”

Mondrecus Kendrick, CRJU Intern
Anticipated Graduation: Spring 2023
Georgia Bureau of Investigation

“I’m a senior criminal justice major at Georgia Southern University. I have been an intern at Bulloch County Public Defender’s Office since May 2021, and I have enjoyed every minute of it. I chose the Public Defender’s Office because I know the integral role that defenders play in our communities, ensuring every citizen receives due process of law, and I aim to make the same contributions. My internship has played a monumental role in my classroom development and has enhanced my critical thinking ability and the capacity to think logically and rationally. I have also noticed an increase in my desire to learn and retain information. I have been able to see the terms, concepts, and theories that were at one point abstract to me manifest into tangible real-world scenarios in the courtrooms and inside of the office. In every class I have taken from Legal Process to American History, I have seen the relevance in the courses that most students do not realize until they have graduated. The most valuable lesson I have learned from this experience is something that cannot be taught in class or read in a book but can only be obtained from experiencing it firsthand, and that is confidence. I was unsure if I had the capacity to be an attorney, let alone go to law school but, after being exposed to such admiral legal minds and being put in a position to learn, grow, and think on my own, I now know not only do I have what it takes to be a great attorney but to be great at whatever I put my mind to.”

Zion Dancer, CRJU Intern
Bulloch County Public Defender’s Office
(912) 764 – 6292

“This past summer I had the opportunity to intern with the Chatham County District Attorney’s Victim Witness Assistance Program. During my time here, I was assigned to work with victims that ranged from minor crimes of theft to major crimes such as murder. I chose this internship because it is my hope to one day work for the FBI. One thing I truly admire about this program is, with this being my first exposure to a courtroom, everyone I came in contact with was very patient and kind. They took the time to explain anything I did not understand and how each process works from beginning to end. I was unaware of how much work goes into one case, let alone handling dozens each day. I was required to attend recorder’s court which consisted of misdemeanor crimes from simple assault to domestic violence and trials were of the more serious crimes. Going to trials was very interesting to hear everyone involved giving their testimonies from their point of views. From that, I have also learned how to keep a great deed of professionalism in the event that I have to appear in court for my career one day. I will admit that during my first trial, it tested my emotions because I got too invested. After seeing those who I worked with hold their composure, I quickly realized that there is a job to be done and I cannot get my feelings involved. All in all, it was a great opportunity and I enjoyed my experience.”

Ashante Hill, CRJU Intern
Anticipated Graduation: May 2022
Chatham County District Attorney’s Office
https://districtattorney.chathamcountyga.gov/

“I always wanted to work for the GBI when I was little. After gaining more knowledge on the agency, I was motivated even more to pursue a career with the GBI and also an internship. I have had so much fun interning. I was able to gain new skills and experience needed for my future field. This internship connected a lot with my legal processes, investigations, and criminal law classes. I was able to apply knowledge learned from these classes to real life investigations. While interning, my logical thinking skills were enhanced and I became more observant of everything. It has been a goal of mine to become a GBI Special Agent one day and accepting this internship opportunity has made me feel that I am one step closer to achieving that goal. I have enjoyed all of the Cold Case files, the interviewing of witnesses, the searches for evidence and new findings, tagging along to do warrants, and my most of all favorite thing ever — Autopsies. I also gained a lot of wisdom and knowledge for working in the criminal justice field. On a scale 1-10 I give this internship a 10!”.

De’Asihas Williams, CRJU Intern
Graduated: Fall 2021
Georgia Bureau of Investigation
https://gbi.georgia.gov/

“During the summer, I participated in an internship with Athens-Clarke County Police Department. While there, I was able to gain so much experience. I was mainly with their Family Protection Center, which dealt with many types of cases such as: domestic violence, sex crimes, and crimes against children. I was able to see many things during my time there. One of those things being search warrants. I was able to see how you write them and what information was needed in each one and how broad or narrow you must be. I also got to witness on many occasions the presentations of the warrants to a judge for them to be signed. Seeing this helped me understand more of what goes into the search warrants, and not just the basics and why you need them. I also got to witness many forensic interviews. Most of the interviews I got to sit in on were those of children. It was very interesting to see the different ways you approach the situations. I even went to the jail and got to sit in on initial interviews with the suspects. This was great to see, you get to understand the tactics and the methods that can get you a confession. My criminal justice classes touched base on many ins and outs of interviews, but seeing it allowed me to understand the lectures I was taught better. Another experience I had was getting to look through forensic photos and seeing how they document what they see at a crime scene. My experiences with ACCPD have led me to be sure of my career path and connect my lectures with the reality of the job. It has also allowed me to feel more secure in my future.”

Kirsten Barnes, CRJU Intern
Anticipated Graduation: May 2022
Athens-Clarke County Police Department
https://www.accgov.com/200/Police

Last updated: 4/12/2023