2. 1. C.O.U.R.T.S program
2. Criminal Records
3. Chief Clerks office
4. Judgment room
5. Observation
Roles and Responsibilities
5 primary work assignments.
3. What is it?
Courts Outreach Unit: Referral and treatment
services.
What does this program do?
This program screens individuals and links them
to inpatient and outpatient treatment centers.
After being linked the individuals report back to
court every few weeks and update the judge on
how they are doing. This is the courts way of
getting those who need treatment into treatment
while avoiding prison. Individuals who have
been directed to the C.O.U.R.T.S program are
arrested for crimes including but not limited to;
illegal drug use, driving under the influence, and
harassment (anger management.)
C.O.U.R.T.S. Program
4. Screening individuals
Screening the individuals who are entered into the C.O.U.R.T.S
program entails asking them about 150 questions about their past
and current history in regards to mental health, family, life
experiences, drug use and other information. This provides history
and insight into the individuals life for both the courts and the
treatment center.
Linking individuals
After screening the individual is linked to a treatment center. The
treatment center assigned is based on what is most convenient for
them. They sign a release form allowing the courts to access the
information about their treatment.
Returning for court
Individuals in the C.O.U.R.T.S program are required to report to
court with Judge Russell on certain dates. At the time of court they
are drug tested and their treatment providers report on their
progress. The dates are decided by the progress of their treatment. If
they are doing well they are told to return 2-3 weeks later.
Individuals who are new or are failing to comply with treatment are
required to come back each week. If an individual continuously fails
to comply with treatment, for example, an individual skipping
treatment and using drugs, they are then arrested and sentenced to
jail time.
C.O.U.R.T.S. Program
5. What is the Criminal Records room? Who works
there?
Criminal records contains the records for current
cases. Individuals who work there are clerks for the
court. They work in the room and sit next to the
Judge when he or she is on the stand to keep the
system organized. If they are in court and a case file
is needed they call down to criminal record for the
file to be brought up prior to the case being called.
In addition, people who are looking for information
on their cases or looking for an individual who may
be in jail can find that information by calling or
going into the criminal records room.
Interns in the criminal records room.
Interns run the files up and down to court rooms as
the court needs them.
Criminal Records Room
6. The Chief Clerks office includes two office workers and the Chief Clerk
Ericka Webb.
Interns responsibilities.
One responsibility is answering the phone and directing callers to the
right line. For example, someone who is seeking information about
their current case would be directed to the criminal records room.
Another responsibility is handling dispositions. Individuals often come
in for dispositions to gain proof of the outcome of their cases. Most
individuals need this information for employers or other people
interested in their background. They are five dollars for printing.
The Judgment room holds all criminal records from 2008 to 2017.
Interns Responsibilities.
re-file all of these past records if they are taken out for information
regarding the past cases or if the case is reopened.
Chief Clerks Office &
Judgment Room
7. On certain days when there is not much for the interns to do we
are allowed to observe in court.
There are multiple court rooms they are called parts. Each Part is
assigned to a different Judge who handles certain cases. For
example, Judge Russell is in part 4 and handles cases that are apart
of the C.O.U.R.T.S program. He runs drugs court on Monday and
mental health court on Wednesday.
Some of the Parts in the Buffalo City Court
Intake: The judges rotate their time in the intake room. This is
where individuals who are arrested the night before are arraigned.
Domestic violence: Cases in which individuals are accused of
domestic violence.
Housing court: Individuals who are suing their landlord and
landlords who are suing their tenants are directed here.
Drug court with Judge Hannah: specialized drug court for
individuals who are a risk to themselves because of their addiction.
People who are likely to overdose if they are released are sent here.
Observation
8. To what degree did these activities contribute to the
achievement of your original learning objectives?
All of these activities have helped me gain a greater
understanding of the law, and the legal field, one of my most
important learning objectives. In addition, they have helped me
to develop my networking skills. Each day I meet someone new
in the court, whether it be an officer, an employee, or a lawyer
networking has allowed me to make beneficial connections.
Did you feel comfortable handling all assigned
responsibilities?
All of my responsibilities were generally straightforward,
therefore, I felt comfortable for the majority of my assigned tasks.
One exception to this was working in the C.O.U.R.T.S. program.
The first few days I did not feel confident in linking individuals
to their treatment provider because of the computer system. With
time I learned how the system worked and felt comfortable with
tasks from there forward.
9. Did your internship roles and assignments make you feel like an
integral and valued part of the work environment?
I have felt like a valued and integral part of the work environment.
As an intern I expected that I would have to go out of the way to be
acknowledged, remembered, or respected. However, my time at the
court has shown me that being positive and holding a welcoming
hard working attitude has its lasting effects. In my opinion, most of
the employees there treat interns as a valued employees.
Do you think you observed and/or participated in a full range of
organizational operations and learning opportunities?
I believe this internship has provided me with a full range of
opportunities. I was not expecting to gain as much as I did from this
experience. The different tasks I was assigned allowed me to fulfill a
number of learning opportunities.
10. The importance of networking, and making connections with
other individuals, especially those in the field you wish to be
apart of.
Individuals often find themselves in situations they never
expected to be in, just because they have are accused of
something illegal does not necessarily make them guilty or a
bad person.
I have gained confidence in my ability as a professional and
realized how beneficial it is to appear driven, welcoming, and
respectful.
I have gained confidence in my choice to attend law school
based on the insight into the legal field I have gained.
It has also been insightful in regards to showing me what I do
not want to do with my career. One of the occupations being a
public defender.
Insights gained from my
internship.
11. Networking
I have acquired and enhanced skills in networking. It takes
some time to learn how to be professional and social at the
same time. Throughout my time at the Buffalo City Court I
have learned how to meet and interact with others and how
to ensure that those who I do meet remember me. In
addition, it has been helpful being that networking opens
opportunity in the future.
Being professional
Although some people may not consider being professional a
skill, I have learned and enhanced my ability to perform in a
professional setting in comparison to my abilities prior to
beginning the internship.
Skills acquired, enhanced and
used during my internship.
12. To what degree, if any, did the actual internship experience
differ from your expectations?
Before starting the internship I was very unsure what to
expect. The experience differed from my expectations in
the sense that it has given me confidence in my ability to
work in a professional setting, this was not something I
expected or even considered prior to the beginning of the
internship. In addition, I did not expect to learn as much as
I have throughout the semester. I expected to learn about
the legal field, more specifically practicing law. However, I
have learned about a number of different occupations
available in the courts and in the legal field. Some of these
include being a clerk, a parole officer, a Peace officer, and
police officer. Prior to my internship I was unaware some
of these occupations existed.
General Reflections
13. To what degree did your actual performance match up with your
expectations going in to the internship?
The internship gave me insight into my career path, which was
something I expected prior to starting the semester. In addition, it
allowed me to gain a greater understanding for the law, and the way in
which the court runs. These were all things I expected to gain from
interning, moreover, I gained the experience I felt I needed to intern
other places in the future.
Has the internship clarified or changed your educational and career goals?
Prior to Interning at the Buffalo City Court I believed I wanted to be a
lawyer but I was still very much on the fence about it. After spending the
semester at the court it has made it clear that I do indeed want to pursue
a career in law. In addition, as I mentioned earlier, it has clarified
occupations I would not want in the future.
General Reflections
14. Has the internship enhanced your self‐understanding and
professional development in important ways?
The internship has enhanced my professional development
tremendously. Not only have I learned the way in which an
individual is expected to present themselves and act in a
professional setting it has made me confident in my ability to do so.
Would you recommend this internship course to other students?
I would recommend this internship to other students. Specifically, I
would recommend it to those who are unsure of whether or not to
enter the legal field. In my own experience, I wish I would have
been apart of the internship program earlier in my career so I could
have further prepared my self for law school and the process of
applying to law school.
General Reflections
15. Are there any questions
regarding the internship, my
experience, or anything
discussed throughout this
presentation?
Q & A
