CJI Intern

Community Resources for Justice; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Community Resources for Justice (CRJ) is seeking 2026 fall interns to support projects across the United States in developing and implementing policy and practice changes within adult and youth justice systems. The ideal candidate is a self-starter with an interest in data-driven policy development and nonpartisan technical assistance, capable of working independently with strong communication skills.

The internship involves documenting processes, producing policy reports and presentations,

Qualifications

• Ability to synthesize and summarize large amounts of information clearly.
• Identify appropriate sources to evaluate justice system policies.
• Maintain high standards of work quality.
• Interact professionally with diverse stakeholders in-person and virtually.
• Coordinate multiple priorities to meet tight deadlines.
• Collaborate effectively within a team.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Publisher.
• Preference for candidates with experience or coursework in criminal/juvenile justice, law, policy, or research.

Responsibilities

• Document group processes (strategic planning, consensus-building, focus groups).
• Develop presentations for varied audiences (staff, managers, executives, policymakers).
• Assist in producing policy reports with narratives and graphics; summarize literature.
• Research and summarize policies related to court processes, corrections, and community supervision; present internally.
• Copy-edit and fact-check deliverables before publication.
• Support evaluation of policies and practices in adult and youth justice; prepare for stakeholder interviews; conduct desk research.
• Provide general administrative support: take notes, prep documents/materials, track information, and other duties as assigned.

Skills

Synthesize information

Source evaluation

High work standards

Professional communication

multitasking under deadlines

MS Office proficiency

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

PowerPoint

Access

Publisher

Job description

CJI is seeking 2026 fall interns to support projects working in jurisdictions around the country on the development and implementation of policy and practice changes in adult and youth justice systems. The ideal candidate for this position is a self-starter that has an interest in data-driven policy development and nonpartisan technical assistance. Candidates must be able to work independently and possess strong communication skills.

What you'll do

Duties / Responsibilities:

• Assist with documenting group processes, including strategic planning sessions, consensus building processes, and focus groups.
• Contribute to the development of presentations to varied audiences, including line staff, mid-managers, executives, and policymakers.
• Assist in producing policy reports, including narratives and graphics. Perform literature reviews using all available research methods and summarize findings.
• Research and summarize policies related to court process, corrections and community supervision, and present findingsinternally during team meetings.
• Copy-editing and fact-checking deliverables prior to publication.
• Support efforts to evaluate policies and practices related to people involved in (and transitioning out of) the adult and youth justice systems, including preparing for stakeholder interviews, conducting desk research on specific topics, and compiling and summarizing other public sources.
• Provide general administrative support to projects, including taking meeting notes; document and materials preparation; information tracking; and other duties as assigned by the project lead.

Qualifications

Knowledge / Skills / Experience Required:

• Ability to synthesize and summarize large amounts of information in a clear and concise manner.
• Ability to identify the appropriate sources to evaluate justice system policies.
• Possess high standards regarding work quality.
• Ability to interact with a variety of people, both in-person and virtually, in a professional and collaborative manner.
• Ability to coordinate and respond to multiple priorities with tight deadlines.
• Ability to work collaboratively with a team.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Products: Word, Excel, and Power Point, Access, Publisher.
• Preference will be given to candidates with work experience, coursework, orinternships in criminal and/or juvenile justice, law, policy, administration, and research.

About CRJ: Our Mission, Your Opportunity

• Community Strategies (CS): Supporting adults with developmental disabilities to live independently and thrive in their communities. Providing a range of top-quality residential and non-residential programs for men and women with intellectual or developmental disabilities in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Our programs offer individual and group treatment and are geared toward promoting independence and improving life skills. Clients also receive support with job development, on-the-job coaching, and educational opportunities.
• Reentry Services (RS): Supporting people leaving incarceration to make positive, sustainable life transitions. We firmly believe that change is possible and attainable for all that we serve. With a strict focus on outcomes, the Reentry Services Division is committed to delivering contemporary and evidence-based services to the individuals in our care. Through delivering innovative programming and collaborating with community agencies, we provide hope and support to our clients as they make safe and successful transitions into their communities.
• Crime & Justice Institute (CJI): Driving bold, transformative improvements in adult and youth justice systems by working with working with local, state, and national criminal justice organizations to improve public safety and the delivery of justice. The CJI team brings decades of experience developing evidence-based, data-driven policies, managing complex processes with diverse stakeholders, and driving systems-level organizational change. Our energetic staff and network of consultants come from a variety of backgrounds.
• Family Reentry (FRE): At Family Reentry, we address the often-intertwining problems of behavioral health, domestic violence, reentry, recidivism, and risks to youth by offering evidence-based interventions to provide support and effect positive change. We offer a holistic approach by working to connect clients to basic needs and offering support to create change and increase stronger coping and life skills.

CRJ is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity in all its forms and encourage candidates of all backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences to apply.