Careers

 Being an intern at CCPP has been a memorable experience for me. I’ve always wanted to work in an environment where I could conduct research on social policies, especially the public and judicial attitudes toward death penalty, and wanted to express my views and opinions on them. I was able to fulfil all these aspirations at the Center, as it not only honed my skills but also expanded my range of theoretical tools to address critical crime issues. The weekly discussions were particularly helpful to understand the pros and cons of policies and practices related to criminal justice. By the end of my internship, I was able to form my own opinions, conduct proper research, and write policy essays for newspapers and magazines.

I had the opportunity to work as a ‘Field Research Intern (FWs)’ under the Women and Crime Network of the Center for Criminology and Public Policy, India (CCPP), during the months of February and March in 2021. The internship was indisputably one of the most rewarding experiences of my life and one that offered me valuable insights into how crime causes grief and human suffering. The constructive and thoughtful discussions with fellow interns, team leaders, supervisors and field partners contributed immensely to the development of my knowledge, thought process, emotional intelligence and research skills. It was a timely opportunity to gain and develop a deep understanding of communities and crime prevention. I would highly recommend anyone aspiring to become a crime-fighter to consider applying for CCPP’s short and long term internships. Its ‘entirely worth it.

I am absolutely fortunate to have got the opportunity to work with CCPP as a field research intern. Being a psychology student, I never thought of pursuing an unusual field of activity, particularly something that I know very little about. Yet, I was curious about where this internship will take me to and how it will shape my understanding of crime and deviant behavior. By the end of the internship, I could feel that I’ve gained immensely from it. For instance, the extensive field activity not only helped me to acquire subtle knowledge of various forms of victimization occurring at the domestic level but also made me realize that there is an urgent and massive need for raising awareness against drug and alcohol addiction in areas of high socio-economic disadvantage. Those four weeks clearly transformed me into a more empathetic person as I recognized the pain and suffering of women (I interviewed!) in vulnerable neighborhoods. I’ve always wanted to understand the mental and emotional state of people, which I was able to do abundantly through this internship.

I had a transformative experience as a field researcher during my internship with CCPP. Over the course of one month, I have had the opportunity to examine the patterns and causes of victimization in crime-prone areas of Delhi. My role typically involved taking individual and focus group interviews of women and children. The intense field work significantly enhanced my understanding of criminal behaviour and violent acts. Besides personal growth, I was also able to build an impressive career portfolio and good working relations with experts in criminological arena. I would like to sincerely thank Professor Rochin Chandra and Ms. Mousomi Panda, for providing me the opportunity to push my personal limits and acquire new skills and more advanced experiences.

I have always been intrigued by the question that why some people decide to commit crime or break the law? My desire to find the answer to this question and learn more about crime and deviant behavior prompted me to intern with CCPP. This internship was hands down one of the best because it exposed me to field-based learning and research activities – which was exactly I was looking for. Though the internship was very rigorous, I will always be very grateful for the ways in which (CCPP) has pushed and stretched me academically. Throughout the internship, I was surrounded by mentors who were dedicated to helping me succeed. I was assigned a number of tasks that only challenged me but also gave me the opportunity to put my observation skills to the test in real-world situations. This experience has helped me to become a more responsible and mature person. Now, I feel more confident at work and while interacting with others. Apart from practically witnessing the behavior, nature and psychologies of criminals and their surroundings, I had the experience to interact with victims and survivors of crimes and learn about their complex problems. Especially, the frustration and social stigma that they faced from their own families and communities was extraordinarily overwhelming and eye-opening. These experiences enabled me identify some of the areas where our policies could also be improved. This internship gave me the most inter-cultural and multidisciplinary experience in my life. I was able to meet people with similar interest and aspirations, which made the internship truly enjoyable as well. I am confident that my career will be positively influenced with this internship from now on. And thanks to this experience, I am now better prepared to face the challenges of my professional future. To all the students who are looking for a practical and realistic learning [like me!], I would definitely recommend you to apply for CCPP’s internships.

I worked with CCPP as a field research intern for its Women and Crime Survey in Delhi. My experience with CCPP has been extremely enriching and enlightening. Our main task was to visit crime-prone areas in the city and interview women and girls about their experiences of crime and victimization in their locality. Through this work, I was able to learn a lot about various dimensions of crime and its intersection with issues of gender, caste, education, employment, etc. Throughout the field work, we were well-supported by Professor Rochin Chandra who was hands-on to give kind advice when times got tough and his wise pieces of suggestions made the internship an excellent learning experience for us all. Moreover, the early career researchers of CCPP were very helpful as they readily shared their field practice experiences during group work and aided our data collection efforts. The work environment was inspiring and rewarding. I gained immensely from the internship and would encourage anyone who has received an offer from CCPP to think of it as an ‘invaluable opportunity’ that only few get the chance to experience.

“My association with the Centre for Criminology & Public Policy as a local coordinator for the Community Crime & Safety Survey (Delhi Region) was a life-changing experience. My role, which spanned over four months, exposed me to ample learning opportunities to hone my soft and hard skills. For example, from learning the fundamentals of survey research and validating research tools to drafting interview protocols and transcribing interviews including training and orienting volunteers into field work, I had the priceless opportunity to work on all the aspects of the survey. As a coordinator, I shared immense responsibility for establishing stakeholder communication and coordinating expert interviews. I even got to shadow the Principal Investigator of the survey, Professor Rochin Chandra, during the initial round of expert interviews. This exercise infused a lot of confidence in me to interview prominent stakeholders unassisted. Concurrently, the coordination and communication activity allowed me to forge a working relationship with stakeholders and ensure that they rendered field support for the survey. The fieldwork was one of the most demanding aspects of the survey. As a coordinator, I was responsible for recruiting inspired and like-minded volunteers and ensuring that the team was physically and emotionally resilient to the demanding work profile of field researchers. Unlike most surveys, this survey required volunteers to undergo thorough safety training before entering the high-risk areas of Delhi for data collection. It was an exceptionally intensive and immersive experience that gave all the team members a real taste of what field research looks like and clearly prepared all of us to shoulder higher-order responsibilities in the future. I am glad that my association of mutual learning with the Centre for Criminology & Public Policy has continued even after my role ended, and I continue to be mentored, guided, and supported by the Centre.”

मैंने “सेंटर फॉर क्रिमिनोलॉजी एंड पब्लिक पॉलिसी” में जनवरी 2020 से मार्च 2021 तक ” अर्ली करियर रिसर्चर” के रूप में काम किया। मैं बायोलॉजी स्टूडेंट थी, अतः मुझे क्रिमिनोलॉजी के बारे में कोई ज्ञान नहीं था। इसलिए मैं इस इंटर्नशिप को करने के लिए बेहद उत्सुक थी। इसके अंत तक मुझे महसूस हुआ कि मैंने यहाँ से बहुत कुछ हासिल किया है। जैसे की, मुझे अपराध के कारको में बारे में गहनता से बोध हुआ कि अपराध कब, कहाँ और क्यों होते है व किन परिस्थितयों में होते है| इंटर्नशिप के दरमियाँ मैंने महिलाओं व बच्चों के विरुद्ध होने वाले अपराधों पर काफी गहराई से सैद्धांतिक व वास्तविक कार्य किया। जिससे मुझे यह एहसास हुआ कि आज के युग में भी महिलाओं की स्थिति काफी दयनीय है और पितृसत्तात्मकता सोच से लड़ाई अभी काफी लम्बी है। अतः अपराध रोकथाम के लिए और अधिक प्रयासों की आवश्यकता है। उसके लिए पहले अपराध व उसके कारको को समझना जरुरी है, जो इस इंटर्नशिप से पूर्ण हो पाया। इंटर्नशिप के दौरान मैंने कई रिसर्च प्रोजेक्ट्स पर काम किया जिससे विभिन्न अपराधों जैसे मिसिंग पर्सन, क्रिमिनल इंटिमीडेशन, चोरी, लूट, फिजिकल अटैक, सेक्सुअल हरासमेंट, रेप, कमर्शियल सेक्सुअल एक्सप्लोइटेशन का सूक्ष्म ज्ञान हासिल हुआ। इसकेअलावा अपराध जगत जैसे चुनौतीपूर्ण क्षेत्र में काम करने के लिए समाज की सोच से विपरीत सोचने व उदासीन लोगों के प्रति संवेदनशीलता व सहानुभूति रखने की मानसिकता भी इसी इंटरशिप से संभव हो पाई। इंटरशिप के अंतर्गत डिबेट-डिस्कशन के माध्यम से तथा पुलिस व एनजीओ कर्मियों के साथ काम के दौरान बातचीत करके, मेरी कम्युनिकेशन, फील्ड रिसर्च स्किल्स और सब्जेक्ट मैटर नोलेज में खासी बढोतरी हुई। यही नहीं इस इंटर्नशिप की कई गतिविधियों में भाग लेने से ने मुझमे सकारात्मक परिवर्तन आएं है जिसके चलते में एक एक जिम्मेदार निडर और नैतिक इंसान बन पाई हूँ । यदि आप अपराध संबंधित मुद्दों को गहराई से समझना चाहते है और अपराध रोकथाम हेतु कुछ ठोस करना चाहते हैं तो CCPP भारत का सबसे अच्छा प्लेटफार्म हैं, जहाँ हमें सामाजिक और बौद्धिक योगदान देने का सुनहरा अवसर मिलता हैं। इसके अतिरिक्त CCPP अपने कार्यकर्ताओं के लिए कई ऐसे अवसर देता हैं जिससे वे अपने टेलेंट  और स्किल्स को उजागर कर सके। मैं भाग्यशाली हूँ कि मुझे यहाँ कार्य करने का मौका मिला। इसके लिए मैं विशेष तौर पर प्रो. आर. रोचिन चंद्रा व साथ ही डॉ. अर्चना गोलवालकर का तहेदिल से धन्यवाद देती हूं। इंटर्नशिप के दौरान उन्होंने मुझे बेहद समर्थन दिया व हौंसला अफ़ज़ाई किया जिससे में जीवन की हर परिस्थितियों का डट कर सामना करना सीखी।

As a criminology graduate, this internship was a brilliant opportunity for me to understand the reasons behind increasing crime rates in vulnerable areas and the roots of people apathy towards solving women-related crime issues. I worked under the able guidance of Ms. Mousomi and Mr. Sajith, who provided us with necessary training and knowledge to conduct interviews in sensitive and non-judgemental manner. When working with our field partners (who were principally NGOs) I was amazed to find that people are making unrelenting efforts to create safe and nurturing environments for women empowerment and child well being. This sight helped me understand the amount of hard work and courage it takes to create positive change in high-crime neighborhoods. My interaction with fellow volunteers also allowed me to gain immensely from them. The camaraderie and support within the group made the challenging fieldwork situations enjoyable and undaunting. Through survey interviews, I was able to meet several people and learn about their everyday problems which made me realize the real importance of our work and the need to develop specific skills, competencies and points of view for personal growth. While all this, Professor Rochin was always there to check on our progress and provide us with practical advice. He also shed important insights on ways of working in volatile, unpredictable and risky situations, helping us to gauge and respond to similar situations more responsibly. In a nutshell, this internship was full of learning experience and personal growth. I am eternally grateful to CCPP for allowing me to contribute in this project.

This is a summary of my experiences and major takeaways on the online fellowship agreement I entered with Center for Criminology and Public Policy (CCPP) India between 22nd July 2020 and 21st January, 2021. The Fellowship involved drafting research proposals, data collection, data analysis, and report writing under strict supervision and monitoring of my supervisor. The task schedules and timelines would be framed by the supervisor, sent to me with stipulated time of completion. I would then acknowledge receipt. I was expected to write a report on the assigned task fortnightly. During the period, I had the privilege to work on several policy research topics including safety planning for domestic violence victims, policing in pandemics, basic training module for prison warders, and introduction of criminology course at college and university levels. The Fellowship enabled me to improve my research and policy writing skills. It also optimized my virtual communication and collaboration skills by encouraging me to make rapid transition to Teleconferencing, Zoom Meetings, Google Docs and Trello among others. One of the major learning experiences was how to scan through the news reports, gather relevant data, analyse, and report in a non-technical/policy relevant format. This is striking because I was attuned to technical and scientific jargons and I was ‘warned’ that those jargons may not make sense to lay people who utilize policy reports. This experience afforded me the opportunity to write for a wider audience. My major regret was my inability to travel to India in person due to the COVID-19 crisis. This resulted in conversion of fellowship to the online format, causing severe limitations for conducting field investigations and accessing opportunities for physical interaction with senior practitioners and researchers at the Center. I therefore highly recommend CCPP for early career researchers and individuals who sincerely want to break into policy research world. This is because CCPP is capable of equipping them with policy research skills that can enable them compete favourably anywhere in the world. But the fellow must be ready to work!