Criminal Justice Senior Kelsey
Garrabrant interned with the Ashland County Juvenile Probation Department and
Court in Ashland, Ohio. This organization has several different types of
careers available, such as attorneys, probation officers, and social workers. Additionally, it handles all juvenile cases for
Ashland County.
What were your job duties at your internship? What kinds of activities
were you involved in?
My duties included filing the
records of old cases or pulling those that were coming up that week. I was
present for all the hearings and trials and was able to learn more of the
judicial system this way. One of my favorite duties was spending the day with
the probation officers. I would accompany them on home visits for several of
their juveniles and would be a witness to any probation violations.
How did Ashland’s Criminal Justice Program prepare you to meet the
challenges of your internship?
The Ashland Criminal Justice
program really helped prepare me simply through education. With the classes I
took, I became more knowledgeable about terms that were used through courts and
professional terms used within the court and by attorneys and judges. I was
able to comprehend all that went on during trials and hearings without being
stuck on what a certain motion or word meant. I was especially prepared for the
probation department through my Intro to Corrections class with Dr. Spelman. He
covered the duties of probation officers throughout the course and I was
actually able to aid in some of those duties throughout the summer without
explanation by the officers.
What experience(s) did you find most helpful or valuable during your
internship? How do you think your internship will impact your chosen career
path?
I really believe that my interaction with the court system
and department helped me tremendously. Being able to sit in on hearings and
trials of all types helped to advance my knowledge in the court system. Along
with that, being hands-on with the probation department helped me to actually
experience the day-to-day life of a probation officer. This internship helped
me tremendously by not only supplying new knowledge on various career options
for me, such as an attorney or probation officer, but solidifying my choice to
choose a career path in the criminal justice field. 
