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Drug Supply, Demand, and Harm Reduction Internship Program

Addressing drug supply, demand and harm reduction requires a holistic approach that integrates law enforcement, health services, and community corrections to create a comprehensive strategy. This internship program is designed to equip criminal justice students with a practical, interagency approach to understanding and addressing issues related to the supply and demand of illicit substances and the role of harm reduction in promoting public safety and health. The internship emphasizes real-world applications, policy analysis, community engagement, and interagency collaboration. Explore the experience of a senior student during the last summer.🔬 

Program Objectives

  1. Educate on Substance Use Dynamics: Examine the interplay between drug supply, demand, and public safety.
  2. Promote Harm Reduction: Introduce harm reduction strategies and their impact on individuals and communities.
  3. Develop Professional Skills: Equip students with hands-on experience in criminal justice-related fields, including policy analysis, outreach, and data evaluation.
  4. Foster Interagency Understanding: Encourage collaboration with public health, community corrections, and law enforcement to build comprehensive solutions.

Program Structure

✪Duration: 11 weeks (including 3 weeks of Spring Interim and the first 8 weeks of Summer Term). 

✪Credits: Up to 6 credits/240 hours. Students can request anywhere from 0 to 6 credits, depending on their financial or credit requirements.

Components:

         1.       Orientation (1 Week):

  • Introduction to the intersection of criminal justice, public health, and harm reduction.
  • Police Department: During initial orientation, interns become familiar with the work rules, policies, and procedures regarding security.
  • Community Corrections: During the initial orientation, interns become acquainted with the work rules, policies, and procedures regarding security. All correctional safety guidelines, work rules, and procedures must be followed diligently and carefully. If there is ever a safety question or concern, interns should contact the field supervisor, mentor, or designee immediately. Serious violations of DOC work rules (e.g., sexual contact with an offender or theft of state property) will lead to administrative termination from the internship. The work rules are accessible to all interns and employees. A mandatory policy review will include the directives outlined in the DOC-1558 Statement of Acknowledgement form.

         2.       Fieldwork:

  • Harm Reduction Organizations: Work with community groups offering needle exchanges, overdose prevention training, or safe consumption education.
  • Law Enforcement Interview/Ride Along: Investigative Techniques and Search Warrant Procedures, Special Doctrines and Legal Considerations, Narcotics-Related Arrests and Prosecution.
  • Treatment Facilities: Collaborate with rehab centers and support services to understand the demand-side dynamics.
  • Policy Exposure: Interview and discuss drug-related policies with law enforcement, parole/probation, public health, and harm reduction specialists. (Optional: Attend city council meetings or state legislative sessions discussing drug-related policies).

         3.       Research and Data Analysis:

  • Interview stakeholders to gather insights and feedback.
  • Analyze data on local substance use trends.
  • Prepare a minimum 10-page paper.
  • Submit a weekly activity journal to CANVAS.

Learning Outcomes

  • Enhanced understanding of the supply-demand dynamic in illicit substances.
  • Practical skills in harm reduction and interagency collaboration.
  • Awareness of legal and ethical considerations in substance use interventions.
  • Implement academic knowledge in a multifaceted problem..

Eligibility

✪ Must have completed at least 90 credits with a 3.0 GPA in the criminal justice major.

✪ A successful background investigation is required prior to placement.

Qualities and skills necessary for a successful intern:

  • Honesty and integrity
  • Reliable
  • Qualitative/Quantitative Analytical skills
  • Team-oriented
  • Good listener
  • Observational skills
  • Written/oral communication skills
  • Planning/organizational skills

Partnerships

  • Winnebago County Public Health Department and Behavioral Health Services Division: Collaborate on harm reduction education and outreach.
  • Wisconsin Division of Community Corrections and Oshkosh Police Department: Provide insight into drug supply and demand enforcement strategies.
  • UWO: Provide research resources and oversight.

Application Process

  1. Apply via Handshake
  2. Contact Dr. D. Alper Camlibel – Associate Professor of Criminal Justice  camlibed@uwosh.edu
  3. Selected candidates will attend a 30-minute in-person panel interview on April 14th or 16th, between 11:30 and 1 PM.

Detailed Examples of Partnerships and Student Activities 

1. Oshkosh Police Department - Narcotics Unit

Objective: Provide students with first-hand experience in enforcement strategies and investigative techniques used to combat illicit drug supply chains.

Student Activities:

  • An interview with a narcotics investigator
  • Ride along with a narcotics agent.

2. Winnebago County Public Health Divisions (Oshkosh)

Objective: Expose students to the health-focused side of drug use, emphasizing prevention, treatment, and harm reduction.

Student Activities:

  • Harm Reduction Initiatives: Assist with programs like needle exchange services, naloxone distribution, and overdose education. Students may staff mobile units or coordinate events.
  • Narcan training,
  • Philosophy and practice of harm reduction- educational presentation,
  • Overdose prevention at the systems change level, including information about the Overdose Fatality Review Team.

3. Wisconsin Division of Community Corrections (DCC) - Oshkosh Division

Objective: Introduce students to the corrections system’s role in addressing substance use issues among individuals on probation, parole, or extended supervision.

Student Activities:

  • Client Interaction: Observe probation and parole agents during client meetings to understand case management and the integration of substance use monitoring.
  • Drug Court Participation: Observe specialized court sessions, focusing on rehabilitation over incarceration for substance-related offenses.
  • Risk Assessment: Learn about tools used to assess the risk and needs of individuals in the correctional system, with a focus on addiction and treatment readiness.
  • Rehabilitation Programs: Learn about rehabilitation programs, substance use treatment referrals coordination, and compliance monitoring.
  • Educational Workshops: Help organize life skills and relapse prevention workshops for individuals under supervision.

Collaboration Framework

These partnerships are designed to provide students with a balanced perspective on supply, demand, and harm reduction efforts. Each organization contributes a unique focus:

  • Oshkosh Police Department: Focus on supply and enforcement.
  • Winnebago County Behavioral and Public Health Division: Demand reduction and health-centered strategies.
  • Division of Community Corrections: Reintegration and individualized support.

Research Project Summary