As part of my requirement as a Counseling and Human Services Major, I need to complete a 150-hour internship at any agency that relates to my future career endeavors. I initially chose to do my fall internship at the District Attorney’s Juvenile Unit for a variety of reasons. I am a Counseling and Human Services Major with a Criminal Justice Minor and have always been torn between pursuing a career in law or social work—often arguing with myself over which career path would be the best fit for me. This population has always peaked my interest and I feel like interning at the Juvenile Unit will give me the unique perspective from the prosecutor’s side. My internship at the District Attorney’s Juvenile Unit is going to give me the opportunity to go to court and see these cases in action, see the sides of both the victim and perpetrator, as well as learn the ropes of working in a public service office.
I have only been interning at the Juvenile Unit for 2 weeks now; however, I already feel like I have experienced and learned so much in this short amount of time. I get to help pull the files for court, contact witnesses, observe interviews conducted by the Children’s Advocacy Center, and watch court hearings. I feel very fortunate to be able to get this first-hand experience and grow not only on an educational level, but on a personal one. As a Counseling and Human Service’s Major with a Criminal Justice Minor, I believe that I will have the unique chance to combine my knowledge of the criminal justice system with my knowledge of human interaction and emotions. By seeing all of the behind the scenes work from the District Attorney’s side, I hope that by the end of my internship I will have a better understanding of which direction I should go professionally.
This balance between the Law and Human Services field will give me a better chance of understanding the reasons behind the perpetrator’s actions and how the Criminal Justice System as a whole can go about dealing with this population in the future. As a professional, I intend on working with children in the Juvenile Justice System or at-risk children in the community—either in the field of law or social work. I hope that my internship at the Juvenile Unit will allow me to see the processes of the justice system, how juveniles act after being charged or arrested, and the strengths and weakness of the current system.