NCJ Number
170757
Journal
Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 25 Issue: 1 Dated: (March 1998) Pages: 99-108
Date Published
1998
Length
10 pages
Annotation
Individuals completing internships in accredited by the American Psychological Association in correctional facilities were surveyed regarding their perceptions of the internship experience.
Abstract
Nine internship sites were at Federal prisons, and one internship site was at a medical school that placed two interns at a State prison to complete half of their internship training. A questionnaire was mailed to 44 current interns and 103 former interns to elicit information on characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages of internship training in correctional settings. Results revealed internships provided an excellent degree of core training. Interns were satisfied with the quality of training and felt prepared for future employment. Many interns who completed a correctional/forensic internship left the experience with a higher degree of interest in the field than whey they began. Most interns were able to secure employment within 3 months after their internship at competitive salaries in correctional and other settings. Certain inherent properties of internships, however, were seen as drawbacks, particularly working in a bureaucratic system and lack of therapeutic opportunities with families, children, and both genders. 6 references and 4 tables