Purpose

This course will prepare students to conduct an internship experience in a justice organization or perform justice-related work activity. During this course students will identify potential internship sites and will, with the instructor's approval, select one. Students will learn how to prepare a resumé and conduct a job interview. They will conduct research on the work and work environment that they have selected for their internship. Students will work with their instructor and their prospective internship sponsor to prepare an internship contract. Students will do background research and prepare a plan for the research that will be conducted during the internship.

Prerequisites

To enroll in this class, students must first have completed ADJ 100, ADJ/GOVT 300, and at least 21 credits of other upper-level courses required for the ADJ major (from one or more of the following three categories: Justice System, Law, and the Legal Process; Social and Human Problems; Legal, Philosophical, and Ethical Standards). Students should also have completed ADJ 303 before enrolling in ADJ 479 or be simultaneously enrolled in ADJ 303 and ADJ 479. ADJ 303 develops observation and interview skills needed for the internship.

Format

Class format will be lecture, discussion, and student presentations.

Grading

Students will be graded according to the following criteria:

35% - Research paper on internship agency/activity. This will be 10-12 typewritten pages that provides background research on the type of agency or principal activity in which the student will be involved on his/her internship.

15% - Contract between student, instructor, and internship sponsor. This is a formal contract, signed by all parties. It stipulates the responsibilities of each party to make the internship a success. The student is responsible for negotiating the contract, obtaining the requisite signatures, and delivering executed copies of the contract to all parties.

35% - Research plan for internship. This will be approximately 7-12 pages outlining the student's plans to conduct research for one or more research projects during the internship.

15% - Oral presentation of research plans to the class. This will be a 10 minute presentation to the class of the student's plans for research on the internship (followed by brief commentary from classmates).

Academic Integrity

All graded course work must be done independently. Students are bound by the George Mason University Honor Code. Failure to abide by these conditions will result in a failing course grade and may be referred to University authorities for discipline.

Required Texts

Stuart Henry, ed., Inside Jobs: A Realistic Guide to Criminal Justice Careers for College Graduates. Salem, WI: Sheffield Publishing Co.

Michael Quinn Patton, Qualitative Field Methods for Program Evaluation. Sage Publications.

Photocopied material from course packet.

Course Topics

Week and Topic

1 - Course introduction. Internship options. Resume preparation

Assignments: (1) conduct background research & prepare a list of three internship possibilities, (2) prepare a draft of your resume.

2 - Conducting in-person interviews for internships.

Assignment: Prepare for internship interviews

3 - Conduct in-person interviews in class (videotaped)

Assignment: Begin research on internship activity/agency

4 - Conduct in-person internship interviews in class (videotaped)

Assignment: Contact agency and arrange interview

5 - Preparing the contract

Assignment: Prepare first draft of contract

6 - Developing research questions--part 1

Assignment: Develop a preliminary research question for your internship

7 - Developing research questions--part 2

9 - Research design

10 - Conducting field observation and interviews

11 - Conducting field observation and interviews; confidentiality & human subjects protections

12 - Maintaining internship journals

Assignment: Maintain a daily journal

13 - Oral presentation of internship research plan

Internship research plan due

14 - Oral presentation of internship research plan

Final version of internship contract due (with signatures)