The U.S. Probation Office is a division of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. It is also part of a network of more than 94 U.S. Probation Offices nationwide, including the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Guam. This Court has four active Judges, one of whom is the Chief Judge, who are appointed for life by the President of the United States. Additionally, there is one Senior Judge and three full-time Magistrate Judges. It is the Chief Judge who appoints all probation officers employed in the Court. The U.S. Probation Office in the Middle District of North Carolina is comprised of 24 counties, has eight offices, and employs 42 probation officers and 21 support staff. Some of these officers have graduate degrees in social work, counseling, psychology, or a criminal justice related area. Their backgrounds allow us to apply a multitude of resources and techniques in working with offenders. Probation officers in this district supervise over 800 persons living in the Piedmont, NC, area, and furnish the Court with over 400 pretrial and presentence investigations per year. Offenses prosecuted in the U.S. District Court range from petty crimes to major felonies. Defendants can be first time offenders to individuals having extensive criminal records.

This district is offering a hands-on opportunity for students or volunteers. Applicants will come from various regions of the state to participate in our program. Examples of their educational backgrounds include social work, counseling, criminal justice, pre-law and law, government, psychology, political science, and sociology.

Internships are provided for students able to commit to at least one semester term with a minimum of 20 hours per week and who have maintained a 2.0 overall GPA. Only college juniors and seniors, graduate students, and law students will be accepted in the program.

The aim of the program is to provide students and volunteers with a broad range of experiences in probation/supervised release caseloads and service to the Court. It will introduce them to a federal correction agency where they may apply the theories of case management through direct contact with the clients under supervision and interaction with assigned probation officers. The probation office will also benefit from the work performed by the volunteer or intern.

Among the duties and other functions performed by volunteers and student interns will be the following:

• Accompanying the probation officer when conducting home visits, investigations, and other field contacts.
• Assisting in the supervision of probationers and parolees on a regular or informal basis under the direction of the probation officer.
• Attending Court with a probation officer.
• Assisting in the investigation and with the preparation of the presentence report.
• Preparing summaries, petitions, memoranda, and other correspondence under the direction of the probation officer.
• Observing, learning, and utilizing different case management techniques.
• Using and developing community resources as needs dictate.
• Completing a special report (if required by the referring college or university).
• Attending in-house training seminars when appropriate.

No internship will be successful without coordination between the agency, student, and school. We encourage the student’s advisor to meet with the coordinating probation officer in person at least once each term. During the meeting, the student’s experience and progress will be discussed. This forum should also be used as an opportunity for the school representative to inform us of any problems or changes in the student’s requirements.

Applicants may apply by filling out the application below and forwarding the application found on the website to the designated coordinator (see below for a list of coordinators).

Applications must be received 60 days prior to the semester planned for the Intern Program. The most qualified applicants will receive a personal interview with our staff. A background investigation will be conducted, and the student will be notified of his/her acceptance. If accepted, the volunteer or intern will be appointed by the Chief Judge as a non-compensated U.S. Probation Officer or a non-compensated U.S. Probation Officer Assistant, will be subject to the Code of Conduct, and will be required to abide by confidentiality policies.

For more information contact the following coordinating Probation Officers:

Kara Martin, U.S. Probation Officer
101 S. Edgeworth St. Suite R312
Greensboro, NC 27401-2219
(336) 358-4208