Division of Criminal Justice

The New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice offers undergraduate, graduate, and law students the opportunity to participate in an unpaid internship during their Fall or Spring semesters or during their Summer break. If accepted into the program, students will be assigned to one of the Division’s Bureaus or supporting Units and Offices. Undergraduate or law students will be supervised by a Detective or a Deputy Attorney General, respectively.

Undergraduate interns will be exposed to a variety of investigative aspects for the interdiction and prosecution of violations of criminal law, which will enhance undergraduate studies in Criminal Justice or related forensic or technical fields of study. Law interns will be exposed to a variety of substantive areas of New Jersey criminal law, and are expected to have excellent legal research and legal writing skills. All interns are expected to have outstanding interpersonal communication skills.

Beyond the duties and responsibilities assigned by each law intern’s supervisor, interns are provided opportunities to observe and work with Detectives and Deputy Attorneys General in the course of their normal job duties, including appearances before the Law Division (Criminal Part), Appellate Division, and, occasionally, the New Jersey Supreme Court. Interns may also attend the Brown Bag Lunch Program (periodic speaking / training events, typically held via Microsoft Teams or at the Hughes Justice Complex in Trenton), at which Detectives and Deputy Attorneys General share their knowledge of investigations, substantive law, and litigation techniques.  We also offer a mock trial program for all interns.

.Applications for the Internship Program should be submitted according to the schedule below:

Fall Session
– September through November
– Application Deadline: May 31

Spring Session
– January through April
– Application Deadline: October 31

Summer Session
– June through August
– Application Deadline: March 10

Please submit all of the requested documents and/or materials, listed below, via Email.  You do not need to mail a duplicate copy. 

If you are an undergraduate, graduate, or law student, and would like to be considered for an unpaid position in the Internship Program, applicants are required to submit a completed Internship Application, cover letter, resume, and most recent official transcript.  Law students are also required to submit a legal writing sample. Applicants should review the Division of Criminal Justice website to express their area of interest as well as any geographical preferences. Every effort will be made to accommodate such interests, but no particular assignment is guaranteed.

Telephone contact: (609) 376-2401

E-mail contact: NJDCJInternship@njdcj.org
Internship Application Rev. 2/20/2025

NOTE: If you are offered a position in the internship program you must complete a Confidential Background Investigation Clearance Form.
Please complete all 5 pages of the form, and email the original notarized form, (Subject Line – Background Investigation Clearance Form – YOUR LAST NAME).