Intern, Reshaping Prosecution Program
Join us for an exceptional 11-week paid internship that offers the opportunity to drive meaningful change and to tackle the most pressing injustices in our day.
Reshaping Prosecution Program
The Reshaping Prosecution Program is dedicated to transforming what it means to be a prosecutor through profound commitment to the dignity of all people impacted by the criminal legal system. Prosecutors play a critical, but often hidden, role in mass incarceration as one of the most powerful actors in the criminal justice system. They decide who to charge with a crime, what crime to charge, whether to ask that a person be detained in jail pending trial, and what sentence to recommend upon conviction. Despite this immense power, prosecutors have only recently become a focus of criminal legal system reform efforts. Our team helps prosecutors across the country effectively own their role and their power in ending mass incarceration, pursuing racial equity, and being more transparent with and accountable to the communities they serve.
Our intern will assist with the team’s communications and programmatic work including:
- Drafting written content for newsletters, guides, memos, talking points, etc. about prosecutors’ role in addressing racial disparities;
- Expanding and supporting our network of partners in their racial equity-focused reforms; and
- Keeping the team up to date on the latest news, literature, trends, and elections impacting prosecution reform.
In addition to your work with the Reshaping Prosecution team, you will have the opportunity to apply some of the skills you’ve acquired in school as well as learn from our amazing staff across the organization. You will have extensive opportunities for personal and professional development and you’ll:
- Attend brown bags to enhance your understanding of criminal justice reform;
- Develop your professional and personal network;
- Gain valuable work experience via real-world problem solving;
- Network with and learn from Vera’s Leadership Team;
- Learn the inner workings of a criminal justice reform organization; and
- Cultivate your passion for equity and justice.
Who You Are
You have experience with the justice system—either you were yourself in the system, have a loved one who is/was in the system, you worked in the system, or you worked to change the system. You are deeply committed to the missions of racial justice and ending mass incarceration. You are knowledgeable about and fluent in discussing and advancing both racial justice and ending mass incarceration.
A successful intern will bring the following skills to the work:
- Passion and personal commitment to changing how our country understands and pursues justice, safety, and individual and community well-being;
- Extensive experience writing for a wide audience through school publications, community organizing, clubs, and/or past internship experiences;
- Interest in policy and systemic change informed by deep engagement with others and their communities;
- Demonstrated ability to work with people from other backgrounds and experiences; and
- Concentration in disciplines related to criminal legal system reform in their current undergraduate or graduate coursework and extracurriculars, volunteering, and/or work.
The Nitty-Gritty
- Summer internships start on June 8th and end on August 14th, with some flexibility to accommodate personal and academic schedules.
- This internship will be based in Vera’s Industry City Office in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, New York.
To Apply
Please submit cover letter and resume. No phone calls, please. Only applicants selected for interviews will be contacted. Online submission in PDF format is preferred. However, if necessary, materials may be mailed or faxed to
ATTN: People Resources /People Resources Manager
Vera Institute of Justice
34 35th St, 4-2A
Brooklyn, NY 11232
Fax: (212) 941-9407
Please use only one method of submission (online, mail or fax).