Criminal justice is a foundation of laws and institutions dictated by individual governments for the sake of maintaining social order. Given that criminal justice is dependent on government regulations, it varies greatly from country to country. By interning in criminal justice abroad, you will gain an understanding of the practices and institutions set in place by another government. Therefore, criminology internships abroad will give you a wider perspective of the field as a whole and allow you to compare and contrast various practices and concepts utilized across the world.
Why Intern Abroad
By stepping outside of the confines of your own country, you open yourself up to a new set of laws and legal practices that may radically differ from those of your home country. This will provide you with a more objective lens when working in the field of criminal justice. You will no longer be constricted by the social norms of your own country, and will gain the ability to look outside of your culture to better understand and question some basic concepts of the legal process through criminology internships abroad. This experience will ultimately push you toward a humanitarian state of mind in which you can better contemplate some of the moral issues concerned with criminal justice.
Locations
Criminal justice internships abroad will vary greatly depending on where you go. You aren’t limited to any particular regions when searching for an outstanding criminology internship abroad. Instead, it is up to you to decide what you want to accomplish with your internship abroad and how different of an experience you are looking for. From there you can make a decision as to what country best suits your personal aspirations for your criminal justice internship abroad. However, the following are a few of our top picks for the field.
Australia. Australia’s criminal justice system was implemented from Great Britain during their colonization. There are nine legal systems in Australia that consist of eight systems from each state and one federal legal system. As a result of the nine legal systems in Australia, each state then has its own criminal justice system. This is an example of the differentiation of laws not only amongst countries, but within a single country. Criminology internships in Australia can prove to be very dense yet fulfilling. You will have the opportunity to intern in one of Australia’s many thriving cities, such as Sydney or Melbourne. The culture and opportunities for success are so rich in Australia’s major cities that you will have no problem finding a criminology internship that suits you.
China. Criminal justice internships in China are sure to provide a very different yet rewarding experience for international interns, especially for those from the Western world. A major benefit of criminology internships in China is the chance to clear up the misconceptions many Westerners have of the Chinese legal system. From an outside perspective, it’s typical to only see the discrepancies of different cultures from your own. But through living and interning in China, much of what was originally foreign may start to become more coherent and sensible, which will ultimately lead to a better understanding of the concept of criminal justice and humanity as a whole.
England. England’s criminal justice system is one of the founding systems for which much of the Western world is based. Through the English colonization of various countries, many nations still run off of the same criminal justice system that was implemented by the British during the time of their conception. Today, England is one of the top destinations for criminology internships abroad. As an international epicenter for culture and societal structure and discipline, England’s criminal justice internships are both numerous and renowned.
Criminology Internships Abroad
Internship placements related to criminology will vary greatly depending on your particular area of interest and the availability of internships with any given organization. Criminal justice internships are plentiful, yet competitive, so it’s important to jump on the opportunity when it becomes available. It’s also important to check with the organization you’d like intern with to see when they accept interns, as the availability of criminal justice internships abroad varies greatly throughout the year.
One specific type of criminal justice internship abroad is perfect for interns looking to further their experience in criminal law, which may give interns the opportunity to work alongside lawyers, legal clerks, and judges. This type of criminal justice internship abroad will help interns learn more about the legal process of their country of choice first hand. Interns may also be responsible for assisting with paralegal research and may even have the chance to attend court hearings, furthering their experience and professional development.
Most criminal justice internships abroad will ask for at least a basic foundation of criminology knowledge, if not a full year of college experience in criminal justice. Some criminology internships abroad may also require interns to speak the native language, as it will greatly affect your ability to communicate on the job.
GoAbroad Inside Tips
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See First Hand What Another Country’s Legal System Looks Like. The law is an extensive, detailed topic even for experts or those very familiar with policies and practices. To have the chance to intern abroad in another country’s criminal justice system, and work side-by-side local professionals, is a unique experience that will provide great insight into the country and culture as a whole.
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Eliminate Cultural Biases and Preconceived Notions. By taking an in depth look into another culture’s criminal justice system, you will better understand their society and culture. This will provide you with rational explanations for customs that you may find different, and will help to rid any judgements you may have held before visiting, which will ultimately make you a more culturally sensitive individual.
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Take Home What You Learned: Through criminal justice internships abroad, you will develop an understanding of international law that will help you decipher moral and legal issues within your own country. You will be able to develop a humanitarian perspective that will help better the world as a whole. Not to mention, criminology internships abroad will be rewarding in more ways than one, meaning your hard work will truly pay off in the long run.
