Allison Sharrock ’18
Allison Sharrock is spending her final semester at Ohio University interning with the Adult Parole Authority, a branch of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.
As an intern Sharrock assists with paperwork, observes supervision meetings between offenders and parole officers, helps offenders complete different supervision requirements, and takes advantage of multiple opportunities to tag along during home visits across Athens County.
Sharrock is a graduating senior studying sociology-criminology and psychology at Ohio University and was interested in rehabilitation before starting the internship, because she is a strong believer that proper rehabilitation can pave the way even for the most seemingly “troubled” soul and improve long-term outcomes.
She hopes to conduct research about the current causes of the opioid crisis affecting many offenders at the Athens APA to identify successful preventive interventions.
She arranged the internship with the assistance of Roberta Roberson, Sociology and Sociology-Criminology Internship Coordinator and Associate Lecturer of Sociology.
The Best Part
The best part about the internship so far is the many different opinions she has encountered from parole officers and offenders alike about this part of our criminal justice system.
She was shocked to learn about the limited discretion the parole officers have in carrying out their jobs due to strict state policies that limit the help parole officers can provide offenders.
“If you’re interested in gaining first-hand experience and wish to learn more about current rehabilitative practices in Ohio, the Adult Parole Authority is the place to intern!” Sharrock says.
The internship program in sociology and criminology is open to all junior and senior Sociology, Sociology-Criminology, and Sociology Pre-Law majors. For more information, contact the internship coordinator Roberta Roberson, robersor@ohio.edu.
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