The Community Relations Service was established by Title X of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The agency serves as the Department's "peacemaker" for community conflicts and tensions arising from differences of race, color, and national origin. With passage of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, CRS also works with communities to employ strategies to prevent and respond to alleged violent hate crimes committed on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or disability. The Headquarters office, located in Washington, D.C., coordinates the efforts of 10 Regional Offices and four Field Offices. Regional Offices are located in: Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, Denver, Los Angeles, and Seattle. Field Offices are located in Miami, Detroit, Houston, and San Francisco.

The Community Relations Service seeks motivated undergraduate, graduate, and law students to undertake internships. The Agency offers 4 different internship programs:

1. The Director’s Internship Program- Washington, D.C.
2. The General Internship Program- Washington, D.C.
3. The Legal Internship Program- Washington, D.C.
4. Regional or Field Office Internships- Across the United States

Interns will have the opportunity to work on a wide variety of projects, including preparing briefings on congressional hearings; researching issues concerning race relations; monitoring recent developments concerning civil rights issues; assisting in the coordination and analysis of agency programs; planning outreach efforts and events; developing CRS training programs; and general administrative duties. In addition, law student interns will work with the Senior Counsel on legal matters affecting the agency.

Requirements for all Internship Positions:

Must be a U.S. citizen, eighteen years of age or older, and currently enrolled as undergraduate or post-graduate students. All selected applicants must pass a security background check before final approval. Relocation and housing costs not covered by DOJ.

Period of Internship: Open

Salary: Unpaid.

Additional Information and Requirements for Director’s Summer Internship Position:

Applicants must be currently enrolled undergraduate or graduate students and submit a current official university transcript. Although all applicants will be considered, competitive candidates will have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0, completed at least their junior year in college, exhibit excellent communication skills, computer proficiency, professionalism, and dependability. Additionally, they must be highly motivated and willing to contribute where needed.

Additional requirements and the application for the Director’s Summer Internship Program can be found on the Program’s webpage.

Additional Information and Requirements for Legal Internship Positions:

At the beginning of the internship, applicant must currently be enrolled and have completed at least the first year of law school. Must hold at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA, submit a current official transcript, demonstrate computer proficiency and skill in use of Westlaw and-or Lexis-Nexis legal research engines, submit a cover letter demonstrating knowledge and understanding of the mission of CRS, and must be willing to engage in a telephone or in- person interview with CRS Legal Counsel, National Director and other appropriate staff.

Additional Information for Headquarters, Regional, and Field Office Internship Positions:

Apply directly to the Headquarters, Regional, or Field office. Send resume and a brief cover letter explaining your interest, background, and dates of availability for internships. You may also apply by e-mail through the CRS Webmaster at CRSInternCoordinator@usdoj.gov, but indicate the office where you are seeking the internship.
For additional information regarding the Regional and Field Offices, please visit their webpage: Regional and Field Offices.

To apply send resume and a brief cover letter explaining your interest, background, and dates of availability for internships to:

Internship Coordinator
Community Relations Service
600 E. Street, NW, Suite 6000
Washington, D.C., 20530
Fax: (202) 305-3009
E-mail: CRSInternCoordinator@usdoj.gov

It is best to either e-mail or fax your application. For more information about internship opportunities, please call (202) 305-2935.