Gaining experience
Competition for jobs in Criminal Justice is fierce and work experience could be the deciding factor for securing a graduate job. However, finding experience will take time and effort, so you will have to work hard to stand out from the crowd. Look at job advertisements and job profiles to identify areas where you need to build more experience.
Opportunities available in Criminal Justice
Volunteer with the Police
Individual police forces offer volunteering opportunities in roles including:
- Special Constable
- Victim Liaison Volunteer
- Police Support Volunteers
- Administrative Support Volunteers
Hampshire Constabulary offer an Observer Scheme which provides the opportunity to shadow police officers across a maximum of three shifts.
Where to find other Criminal Justice volunteering opportunities
- The Fairbridge Programme - As part of the Prince's Trust, the Fairbridge Programme offers opportunities for 16 to 25-year-olds to develop skills and confidence through a wide variety of activities.
- Victim Support - An independent charity that provides support to people affected by crime or traumatic events.
- NACRO - A social justice charity offering information, advice and guidance, courses, consultancy and interventions to vulnerable people within communities.
- Youth Justice Board - A resource hub for those working or looking to work in youth justice, with a learning and skills matrix, a library of effective approaches and a Q&A forum.
- Police.UK - Provides a list of UK police force websites, on which you can find Special Constable and Police Support Volunteer roles.
- Clinks - Represents the voluntary options within the sector, providing a directory of organisations working with offenders and listing both paid and unpaid training and volunteering opportunities.
Types of opportunities available through the University
While you're studying, you can gain experience through:
Placements usually last between 6-12 months and can be taken as part of your degree programme. Criminal Justice placements can be found in Crown and County Courts, Law Firms, Charities and Non-Governmental Organisations
You can find placements through:
There are fewer internships offered in the criminal justice sector than in other areas. Many organisations either focus on volunteering or don't offer work experience due to the confidential or classified nature of the work. The organisations listed below give you an idea of the type of opportunities that may be available. You will need to do thorough research to identify further specific opportunities:
There are many volunteering opportunities across the criminal justice sector and when deciding on a role it is important to ensure that the organisation you volunteer through has a robust safeguarding structure in place.
MyCareer offers current students and graduates access to a Virtual Volunteering Bank which provides local opportunities to undertake alongside your studies. Similarly, you can access these opportunities through the paper-based bank located at Careers and Employability, particularly relevant opportunities are the StudentWatch and STEM Learning schemes as well as a range of not-for-profit organisations working across the sector.
Tips for success when looking for experience
- Research organisations offering summer internships, vacation placements, taster experiences or volunteering opportunities (roles in forensics and intelligence will be few and far between).
- Explore the various areas within the criminal justice sector before you apply for work experience; knowing what you want to specialise in will help you focus your research and ensure you gain the relevant skills.
- Get involved in University extracurricular activities related to your interests such as with the Students' Union or with University clubs or societies; here you can develop transferable skills and experience such as communication and teamwork.
- Create a LinkedIn profile to network with sector employers - see our Networking and Social Media section for further guidance.
- Speak to your tutor or other members of the Faculty staff to identify potential networking or research opportunities that could lead to work experience.
- Make the most of opportunities to meet sector professionals at events both within the university and externally to build your network of contacts.
- Be proactive and make direct contact with organisations that interest you and apply speculatively; send a targeted CV and a cover letter focusing on why you are interested in them and why they should be interested in you.
