Placement Policies

Practicum placement is contingent on many factors including placement site availability, suitability, and fit between students and the site. The Practicum Coordinator works with students and field sites in an effort to appropriately place students. However, there is no guarantee that a student will successfully complete the placement process. If a student is denied by two different practicum sites and/or turns down two different practicum sites, the student will be required to meet with the Practicum Coordinator. The purpose of the meeting is to identify and discuss behaviors that may have resulted in an unsuccessful placement and further determine the student’s readiness for practicum.

If it is determined that the student is not ready for practicum, the student may be advised to postpone enrolling in the practicum and seminar course and, along with the assistance of the Practicum Coordinator and the student’s Faculty Advisor, devise a re-entry plan. This plan will be written and signed by both the student, the Practicum Coordinator and Faculty Advisor.

If it is determined CJLS is not an appropriate major for the student, the student will be encouraged to do further career and/or major exploration through Pacific’s Academic and Career Advising Center.

The purpose of the practicum is to expose students to new areas of work. For this reason and to avoid conflicts of interest, students are strongly discouraged from pursuing a placement at an organization where they have been an employee or volunteer.

Exceptions may be made if all of the following conditions are met:

• The student and the agency demonstrate that the duties and experiences associated with the field placement are substantively different than the student’s paid duties. Practicum hours cannot be counted as paid time nor can paid time be counted as practicum hours. All field activities must be new learning.

• The placement meets the CJLS Program’s educational objectives and site criteria.

• The student’s Field Instructor is not the student’s employment supervisor.

Approval of using one’s place of employment for the practicum will be decided on a case-by-case basis.

Students and their Field Instructors must clearly demonstrate that the field practicum component differs from students’ employment by documenting the distinctions between the two, including separate supervision, responsibilities, and appropriate learning experiences. Students must submit the following documents to the Practicum Coordinator for consideration:

• Job descriptions for both the paid position and the practicum position along with the names and contact information for both the employment supervisor and the Field Instructor.

• A separate letter that addresses the following questions and that is signed by both the student and the Field Instructor:

  • The proposed days and hours for field education.

  • The proposed days and hours for employment.

  • A description of the student’s current job responsibilities, describing the services provided and/or other major tasks.

  • A description of the areas of educational focus that are new for this learning experience and how they meet the learning objectives of the CJLS practicum (as outlined in the Learning Contract), including at least three assignments/specific areas of study that are new and separate from the student’s current job duties.

  • A description of how supervision will take place for practicum and how it is separate from employment supervision.

Students may not serve a practicum in a setting where a close friend or family member will be acting as the student’s Field Instructor or in a setting where they are an active client or beneficiary of the service.

The CJLS Program does not discriminate on the basis of student history of involvement with the criminal justice system. Further, we acknowledge that screening for arrest and conviction history has the potential to magnify the already disproportionate impacts of the criminal justice system on certain communities. Students should be aware that the appearance of certain offenses on a criminal background check may preclude placement at sites. This record may also impede students from working in these same organizations after graduation.

In order to identify appropriate placements for all students, any student with a felony conviction or other relevant criminal history should notify the Practicum Coordinator of such convictions. Screening policies at host agencies may preclude some opportunities on the basis of felony recency, nature of the criminal infraction, and remedial actions. Any felony conviction incurred during the period of field learning must be reported; the conviction will be evaluated by the University and could result in termination from the practicum. Failure to notify the Practicum Coordinator of a conviction may result in dismissal from the major.

Services and accommodations are available to students covered under the American with Disabilities Act. Students who may need accommodations must contact the Office of Accessibility and Accommodation Services (OAA) as far in advance of the practicum semester as possible. OAA staff meet with the student, review the documentation of their disability, and discuss the services Pacific offers and any accommodations they may require for specific courses. Students must provide the Practicum Coordinator with this documentation from OAA prior to the start of the placement process. In these cases, the student must discuss these accommodation needs with the Practicum Coordinator and eventually their Field Instructor to determine if such accommodations are available in the agency setting.