UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN River Falls

Criminology Internships

 

MN Correctional Facilities - Red Wing Internship

MCF - Red Wing
1079 Hwy 292
Red Wing, MN 55066

Website: http://www.doc.state.mn.us/
http://www.doc.state.mn.us/facilities/redwing.htm

If interested in internship at this agency, go to: www.doc.mn.gov then click on Employment



Students identified positive aspects of this placement

  • The experience of working with serious and chronic male juvenile offenders and challenging their thinking. It is interesting to learn their backgrounds and why they are in an institution and watching them change throughout their stay. (2003)
  • Everyone was very friendly and willing to answer questions. I was involved with every aspect of treatment with the caseworker and was able to get a good feel for what the job fully entailed. It is also a great place to learn different strategies for working with troubled youth or to see if this is the type of career you may want. (2003)
  • This is a successful placement with excellent treatment programming available to the clients. (2002)
  • The caseworker was with me all the time. I was encouraged to ask questions, participate, etc. I was encouraged to go above and beyond the school's requirements and it wasn't hard at all. Every aspect of the internship was fun and educational. I could work as many hours as I wanted. (2002)
  • The staff was very nice to work with. Interacting with the young men was also very positive. They were often willing to share their experiences and struggles. (2002)
  • Staff members are friendly and helpful. The facility itself is organized and comfortable. (2000)
  • They are very willing to participate in an internship program. Extremely helpful in the learning process. The ability to be up close and personal with criminals and their minds. To be able to see how a state facility operates. (1999)
  • The staff all treated me like I was a regular worker, not as a student intern. I got hands-on experience what it is like to be a correctional officer. (1998)
  • The experience is tremendous. The staff is very helpful and great to work with. I was considered staff from the beginning. The intern is allowed to do most of the tasks that a full-time staff member has to do. The kids can be fun to work with. Hours are flexible as is what days an intern needs to work. (1996)
  • Interaction with troubled youth. Insight into the interaction of staff and employees. CPR & fire certification. (1995)
  • Excellent took in giving an intern a perspective of what a career in the field would be like - great hands-on experience. (1995)
  • It led me in a positive direction and helped me make a career decision. It helped me understand some of the behaviors that these kids exhibited on the outside. (1995)
  • I enjoyed being able to get to know the kids and be able to help them (with homework or just listening to their problems).(1995)

Students identified difficulties in this placement

  • The moods and attitudes of the residents can be very frustrating. They don't want to respect you, but once you show them you care, they'll open up. Although the internship isn't physically demanding, I found myself tired and emotionally drained at the end of the day. (2003)
  • Residents are wary of anyone new. It takes awhile for them to place trust in you. Also, you must always be aware of what residents are doing or saying, they can be manipulating. (2003)
  • Learning to ignore/accept negative comments from offenders. Becoming aware of your surroundings and acting/thinking accordingly. (2002)
  • Learning the technical language and to understand that you will see and hear physical and verbal violence. (2002)
  • An intern who is not self-motivated could find this placement rather uneventful. This could change after the transition unit becomes well-established. I simply was not told what to do, but rather sought out the things that I thought would be beneficial and asked the supervisor for permission to do them. (2002)
  • Trying to understand the behavior of some residents and hearing about their family history. Absorbing the many daily occurrences and getting your work accomplished. (2001)
  • It may take awhile to get adjusted to the correctional setting and the juveniles in it. (2000)
  • Being able to judge the right/wrong things to say to inmates. Trying to figure out what to do in a bad situation. For a female, just the simple act of being around young males and the activities that go along with sex offenders. (1999)
  • At first, you can be very overwhelmed by your situation. (1997)
  • Understanding and becoming familiar with the positive peer counseling technique. It takes time understand and comprehend the counseling aspect of the job. Knowing some of the past experiences these kids have gone through can be heart-wrenching. (1996)
  • The boys are hard to get through to and you need to come to them with care and concern. (1996)
  • Even though my internship was short (may-aug), I saw kids get out on probation and come back a week or two later. This was hard for me to understand because I thought they would do everything needed to stay out, yet they came back. (1995)
  • It was hard at first because everyone, including yourself, knew you were just an intern and didn't have much power. However, contrary to popular belief, interns do have power and everyone learns that as time goes on. (1995)
  • Since you will be working with all male adolescents, a female may run into difficulties getting the kids to do what you tell them. (1995)