Internships provide the opportunity to gain work experience, develop professional skills and make important connections that can lead to employment. They are offered with the cooperation of participating community organizations for the purpose of providing learning opportunities through guided observation and work activities. Participants build their professional resume while earning course credit.

CRJ 195- Internship

Criminal Justice seniors can earn 3 units of upper division elective course credits for up to two semesters with an internship. It is a CR/NC course. They can be paid or unpaid positions.

The Criminal Justice Internship Coordinator and a representative from the cooperating organization supervise the experience. You must complete a minimum of 120 hours at the position each semester.

Like any other course, CRJ 195 has a limited number of seats available and will not be able to accommodate every interested student. Many agencies have an office dedicated to outreach, which can be extremely helpful to the student engaged in career exploration in the criminal justice field. Some offer opportunities to ride-along or job shadow. Some students will also intern at agencies without college credit. Students who have not yet satisfied the prerequisites for the course or were unsuccessful in obtaining a seat in CRJ 195, are still encouraged to pursue internships.

Criminal Justice Internship Coordinator

Sue Escobar, J.D., Ph.D.
scote@csus.edu

Qualifications

• You must have 90 units (Senior status) completed before the start of the internship semester. Because of the length of time involved in background checks and other preliminaries, admission to the internship program requires that students apply and attend an orientation in the semester prior to their planned enrollment.
• You must secure a job or volunteer position with an approved agency or organization. They must have a signed internship/service-learning agreement with Sacramento State. The Internship Coordinator can provide guidance to help you.

What to Do

1. Attend a Criminal Justice Internship Orientation & Information Session in the semester prior to the internship.
   1. If you are undecided or do not have a position yet, you can still attend an orientation session and apply. We encourage you to get the information and start the process as you are making your decision.
   2. You will receive additional instructions and the application forms after the orientation.
2. Submit an Internship Application and Professor Recommendation Form.
3. Secure a job or volunteer position with an agency or organization that partners with Sacramento State.
4. Submit a signed Agency Acceptance Form
5. Do NOT place CRJ 195 in your shopping cart during registration and enrollment time!
   1. You will be manually enrolled at the start of the following semester by the Division of Criminal Justice office staff once your application packet has been verified as complete.
6. Questions? Email the Internship Coordinator!

Community Partners

Sacramento State has many community partners across a variety of sectors approved as internship and service learning opportunities. From government agencies and non-profit organizations to private businesses, there are a multitude of opportunities to get hands-on experience that will enhance your classroom learning.

Some examples include:

Organization	Business Sector
Amador County District Attorney's Office	County Government
California Public Employment Relations Board	State Government
Black Youth Leadership Project	Non-Profit
Contra Costa Sheriff's Office	Law Enforcement
Federal Defenders Office, Eastern District of California	Federal Government
Jose Marin Law, Inc.	Private Business
My Sister's House	Non-Profit
Opening Doors	Non-Profit
Sacramento Police Department	Law Enforcement

Frequently Asked Questions

I already have a CRJ-related job. Can I use that?

You may be able to use your existing position if the organization is an approved agency. Contact the Internship Coordinator to find out if an organization is a current partner.

How can an organization be approved to host internships?

If the position or organization you wish to intern with isn't already an approved agency, they may be able to become one. They must go through the campus approval process and have a signed site agreement on file before the internship begins. You can work with the Internship Coordinator to get them approved. This process can take up to six months so start as soon as possible.

If I get an internship prior to senior year, can I still get credit?

We encourage internships as an opportunity to gain experience. They are a great way to discover if you like, or don’t like, an area of interest. CRJ 195 does require that you complete 90 units of credit to participate so you won’t receive course credit for internships that take place before you are a senior.