By Rebecca Merritt, Justice and Legal Thought
My most time-consuming project was working on a one hundred percent telework policy for the division and then developing a procedure for how to put it into action, when necessary. This policy became very important as COVID-19 set in and the entire Department of Justice moved to one hundred percent telework.
The internship I held with the Department of Justice is through the Pathways Internship program which allows me to be converted to a full-time position upon graduation with a positive work appraisal. This internship is important for my future career as it has allowed me to gain federal government employment experience, as well as, start accruing benefits. Within the actual roles and responsibilities of the internship, I have been designated to be in charge of the training for the division and delegated several policy writing assignments. These policies have ensured the Criminal Division is in compliance with the broader regulations issued by the Justice Management Division. My most time-consuming project was working on a one hundred percent telework policy for the division and then developing a procedure for how to put it into action, when necessary. The plan for this policy had been to use it for special circumstances as part of a reasonable accommodation request. These would include requests for post-medical procedure work or for other extenuating circumstances that would prevent an employee from being able to come into the Washington, DC office. This policy became very important as COVID-19 set in and the entire Department of Justice moved to one hundred percent telework. The policies issued by the Justice Management Division are vague and give discretion to the divisions, so we would not have been prepared for this change if we had not developed our own policy. The policy I worked on included elements for proper work computer use, recommended hours of the day, and a training for further understanding of how to telework. I also worked on other policy writing which helped to further our mission. These policies are important for designating the way different actions are to be completed and to give guidance on how a variety of issues should be handled. Policies provide consistency to ensure justice and equality.
This project stood out to me because I also have an interest in working with the federal government in the future. I learned that there are always new policies being created, and was interested to hear that training and telework policies were things that you worked on. Were there other types of policies that you wish you had the chance to work on?
This internship stood out to me, because I am very interested in how the federal government goes about the criminal justice process and how they make sure to maintain laws in an equitable manner. I found it very interesting how quickly and frequently new policies are needed. As you described, who knew that the country would all of a sudden need a policy to enact telework so quickly. One question I have for you is what other types of policies did you get to work on and were the matters you were working on surprising to you?
This internship poster stood out to me because, while I am not a criminal justice major, I think the work you did creating these policies is very significant because justice and equality issues must always be addressed within criminal justice. I had not really thought about how complex and fluid these policies are prior to seeing your poster! What did you find the most challenging part of policy writing to be in your experience?
Hi Rebecca, I remember hearing about your internship in the beginning of the school year, but it was great to learn more from this poster! I want to do a similar internship with the FBI next summer, so hearing about this one helped me gain some insight into the great connections you were able to make. Do you have any advice for someone looking to work for the federal government?
This project stood out to me because of its focus in criminal justice. What initially drew me into viewing this poster was the person's involvement in the Department of Justice. From this poster I learned about a job/internship I didn't really know to exist. I never really knew the responsibilities of people working in the Department of Justice, and this poster showed me that they seem to deal a lot with policy. I really enjoyed reading this poster and I am glad to know that it gave the creator a job when they graduate.