Senior, Kara McDonough completed an internship with the Rhode Island Department of Corrections at Kent County Probation. Read on to learn about her experience!
If you’re interested in doing your own internship but don’t know where to start, make an appointment with your Career Advisor by going to Handshake.
What was your internship? My internship was with the Rhode Island Department of Corrections at Kent County Probation
Why were you initially interested in this internship? I was initially interested in this internship after taking the community corrections course with Professor Delfino, as it went in depth on the different types of community corrections, which I found interesting.
How did you find your internship? I found the internship on the RIDOC’s website
What did you do as part of your internship? As part of my internship, I got to meet with offenders on probation for a multitude of different reasons (I .e. DUI’s, sex offenses, drug offenses, child endangerment, carrying a weapon without a license, and many more). I also got to go to court, help with court recommendations from the Probation Officers, and facilitate mailing letters for appointments and notices to report.
Has this internship helped you work towards your future career goals? If so, how? This internship has helped work towards future career goals as it helped me decide that I want to work in community corrections whether it be in probation, parole, or home confinement and hopefully become an officer down the line in any of these offices.
What was your biggest lesson/takeaway from the internship? My biggest lesson or takeaway from this internship is that anyone can land on probation you don’t necessarily need to have a criminal history. One night being irresponsible and drinking and driving can get you on probation. Along with the struggles with mental health can be a major factor for some of these offenders.
What advice would you give to someone interested in a similar internship opportunity? My advice for someone interested in a similar internship opportunity would be to definitely go ahead and do it. It is a great learning experience and really helps connect classroom learning with the real world which I think will be really beneficial once I graduate.
