NCAVC Nonpaid Internship - Overview

Qualifications, Application, Selection | NCAVC Internship FAQs

Twice a year, four exceptional college students from undergraduate or graduate programs are selected to participate in a full-time, 14-week unpaid internship program at the FBI's National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime (NCAVC), located near the FBI Academy at Quantico, Virginia. The NCAVC provides investigative support to law enforcement agencies around the world in crimes such as serial or single homicide, child abduction or exploitation, bombing, arson, threats, serial rape, or extortion. Services include profiles of unknown offenders, crime analysis, investigation strategies, interview or interrogation strategies, trial preparation and prosecution strategies, expert testimony, and coordination of other resources. The NCAVC also conducts research and provides training regarding high-risk, vicious, or repetitive crimes.

The program offers the student an opportunity to view the FBI from the inside and to contribute significantly to research into violent crime. The program also allows the NCAVC to enhance its liaison with the academic institutions attended by these students and to benefit from their contributions to the research. Internships start the first week in September (after Labor Day) or the second week in January and last a minimum of 14 weeks.

The NCAVC internship experience has four components:

Research
The interns are given significant assignments in the social science research of the NCAVC. Assignments take into account the academic level and research experience of the students so that they are challenged, but not overwhelmed. Students have contributed at all phases of the research process, including research design; literature search and review; data collection, coding, entry, and analysis; and publications.

Case Consultations
NCAVC interns have opportunities to observe the case consultations within the unit. They grow to understand the reality of the "profiling" process and other services of the unit (as opposed to what they see in the movies or on TV or even read in books). They see the teamwork approach to the mission of the unit.

Classroom Instruction
Interns are allowed to attend a limited number of class sessions at the FBI Academy. They may also attend training held at the NCAVC or conducted by the NCAVC. Topics usually involve violent crimes and the offenders who commit them.

Daily Interaction and Networking
Since interns work with multiple staff members and meet others at consultations or training sessions, they have ample opportunity to network with a variety of people. The professional staff members of the NCAVC come from a wide variety of academic and work backgrounds and are willing to spend time discussing experiences and career options or academic choices with the interns.

Revised 7/2002