Should Criminal Justice Interns be Paid? The Black Swan Case and Beyond

E-ISSN： 1745-9117|26|2|185-210

ISSN： 1051-1253

Source： Journal of Criminal Justice Education, Vol.26, Iss.2, 2015-04, pp. : 185-210

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Abstract

This paper examines the issues surrounding financial compensation of criminal justice student interns. This question has been the subject of inquiry for several years and was brought to the forefront of discussion in the legal and academic community as a result of the June 2013 US District Court ruling in what has become known as the Black Swan case, in which Judge William Pauley ruled that former student interns who had worked for no pay were entitled to compensation under the Fair Labor Standards Act. This paper examines the legal, educational and social questions that have arisen as a result of the Black Swan case and other similar internship lawsuits. Suggestions for criminal justice academic programs and for internship agencies that may reduce the likelihood of liability are provided.