SUMMER 2023 UNDERGRADUATE INTERN, NATIONAL PRISON PROJECT

 

SUMMER 2023 UNDERGRADUATE INTERN, NATIONAL PRISON PROJECT
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION

The ACLU seeks an Undergraduate Intern in the Legal – National Prison Project of the ACLU’s National office in Washington, DC. 

The National Prison Project works to ensure that conditions in prisons, jails, juvenile detention centers, and immigration detention facilities comply with the Constitution, domestic law, and international human rights principles. The Project has successfully litigated on behalf of incarcerated people in more than 25 states, and is the only organization litigating conditions of confinement cases nationwide. Our priorities include reducing overcrowding, improving health care, eliminating violence and maltreatment, and increasing oversight and accountability in prisons, jails, and other places of detention. We also work to reverse the policies that have given the United States the highest incarceration rate in the world and led to extreme over-representation of people of color in the incarcerated population.  

The intern will have the opportunity to gain valuable experience by working with the National Prison Project team. They will learn about creating change through prison reform litigation and advocacy work. 

RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Assisting with the production and distribution of advocacy materials 
• Conducting factual research and writing regarding the rights of incarcerated people and legislative movement 
• Gathering current information related to prison and jail conditions 
• Documenting and tracking complaints received from incarcerated people and responding with informational materials
• Providing campaign and litigation support to supervising attorneys
• Other projects as assigned
• Engage in special projects and other duties as assigned
• Center principles of equity, inclusion, and belonging in all work, embedding the values in program development, policy application, and organizational practices and processes 
• Demonstrate a commitment to the mission of the ACLU 
• Demonstrate a commitment to diversity within the office using a personal approach that values all individuals and respects differences in regards to race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, disability and socio-economic circumstance 
• Demonstrate a commitment to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and/or conflicts  
• This posting provides a general but not comprehensive list of the opportunities of the internship. 

EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS 

• Completed first year of an undergraduate degree 
• A strong interest in the rights of incarcerated people and a commitment to civil rights 
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to work independently 
• Excellent research, writing, and communication skills
• Strong computer skills, particularly web-based research including proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (i.e. Word, Excel) 

INTERNSHIP OVERVIEW 

• Location: Due to COVID-19 our offices are currently operating in reduced capacities. We plan to launch an internship program that offers a limited number of remote or hybrid intern positions. Candidates for this internship who are located in proximity to the DC office may opt to work with us in-person following a hybrid (part in-person and part-remote) schedule.  
• Time Commitment: Summer internships require a full-time commitment of 35 hours per week.
• Internship Duration: Full-time internships extend for a 10-week period and begin either May 30 or June 12, 2023.
• Stipend: A stipend is available for those students who do not receive course credit and are lawfully authorized to work. Students who receive outside funding are eligible for a partial stipend to bring their total funding up to the level of the ACLU’s stipend amount for that term, if applicable. Arrangements can be made with educational institutions for work/study or course credit. Below is the stipend breakdown by term:
• $18.57/hour for undergraduate students or equivalent experience and $21.42/hour for graduate and law students or equivalent experience. 

Priority Application Deadline: March 17, 2023.
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis and accepted until the position is filled, but priority review will be given to applications submitted on or before March 17, 2023.