You are here: Summer Scholar Program » University/Grant Partnerships » Innocence Project & John Jay College of Criminal Justice
University/Grant Partnerships
Innocence Project & John Jay College of Criminal Justice
The Innocence Project is a national litigation and public policy organization dedicated to exonerating wrongfully convicted people through DNA testing and reforming the criminal justice system to prevent future injustice. Founded in 1992 by Barry Scheck and Peter Neufeld, the organization is affiliated with Cardozo Law School. To date over 280 people in the United States have been exonerated by DNA testing, including 17 people who were originally sentenced to death. The Innocence Project worked on the majority of the cases. For more information, please visit our website at www.innocenceproject.org.
In the first part of the summer, the Scholar will observe operations to understand how the various positions and projects of the Innocence Project policy department work. During this stage, the Scholar will be assigned to support the policy director and staff on the specific policy plans to be set by each policy staff member for FY13. The Scholar would then spend the balance of the summer on a portfolio of specific projects in support of various policy staff members. The specific assignments will be made based on where the Scholar’s assistance can be of the greatest support to the department - while also seeking to provide the most rewarding experience possible for the Scholar.
As summer member of the policy department, the Scholar will have an extremely varied and interesting range of tasks, from attending and documenting meetings with legal stakeholders and community leaders, to helping to coordinate staff co-operation and performing research. Whatever the specific tasks that emerge at that time, the Scholar will play a needed and important role with the team. During the internship period, the Steamboat Scholar will be subject to the Innocence Project’s employee rules.
Stephen Saloom will serve as the mentor and provide on-going guidance to the Scholar. Stephen is the Innocence Project’s Policy Director, and also leads the national Innocence Policy Network, which advocates for wrongful conviction reform at the federal, state and local levels. He has advocated in numerous individual states, across multiple states, in Congress and the federal executive branch. He has partnered with traditional and non-traditional allies to advance reform through legislation, litigation, implementation, training, education and appropriations. He has taught graduate courses in Criminal Justice Policy and Legal Issues in the Criminal Justice System, and is a member of the Massachusetts Bar. Mr. Saloom holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of Connecticut School of Law, and a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of Connecticut.
Scholars from John Jay College of Criminal Justice were previously selected to intern at Center for Court Innovation, a non-profit think tank that helps courts and criminal justice agencies aid victims, reduce crime, strengthen communities, and improve public trust in justice.
Important Dates
On-Campus Information Session - Wednesday December 7, 2011
Applications Due - January 6, 2012
Semi-Finalist Interviews - February 20, 2012
Finalist Interviews - TBD
Scholar Notification - TBD
Related Links
Summer Scholar Program
Program Application
If you are currently a junior and would like to apply to become a Steamboat Scholar at Innocence Project, download the application here:
Deadline: Innocence Project 2012 application is due Jan. 6, 2012.
UNIVERSITY REVIEW COMMITTEE
The University Review Committee is comprised of dedicated members of the administration and faculty.
