Being an Investigative Intern for the Public Defender Services for the District of Columbia requires investigative tasks to be conducted in the field. With one of the safest, largest, and cleanest mass transit systems in the United States, the spaces which I inhabit on a daily basis are located sporadically throughout Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Although I reside in Georgetown University Residential Housing in NoMa, located in the Northwest of the District of Columbia, I often use the mass transit system to travel, specifically for day-to-day investigative tasks. The Public Defender Services is in Judiciary Square, located in Northwest of the District of Columbia. In Judiciary Square, the spaces which I inhabit on a daily basis include the District of Columbia Superior Court and the District of Columbia Court of Appeals to witness prominent hearings and trials. As I spend a majority of investigative resources assisting indigent defendants in the field, I also complete a majority of desk work at the office to be able to communicate and collaborate in-person with attorneys, investigators, law clerks, investigative interns, and other supportive personnel along with having access to legal resources.
To conduct investigative field work, I often travel to Southeast of the District of Columbia, which is experiencing a steady increase in violent crimes, such as homicide, sexual abuse, assault with a dangerous weapon, armed robbery, and carjacking. With systematic adult and juvenile gun violence, gentrification, and lack of public and private investment, the District of Columbia does not engage with such communities to prevent systemic racism, displacement, and economic disinvestment. Historically, Southeast has had a high unemployment rate, mass removal, and poor transit access. Coupled with income poverty, highest proportions of households without cars or jobs, and aggressive policing, the historical and systematic issues which surround gentrified Black communities in the District of Columbia influence rising crime rates. During field investigative work, I will speak to clients at the Central Detention Facility, perform surveillance, interview witnesses, victims, and families, collect and analyze disciplinary, criminal, and probation records, deliver time-sensitive discovery materials, and canvas crime scenes to establish a timeline. Next to Judiciary Square is Penn Quarter, an entertainment area filled with theaters, cinemas, art galleries, and cultured food festivals. The swing sets which pose as chairs with large picnic tables at the Navy Memorial became a customary gathering location for lunch. After a long work day, the investigative interns and I often spend the evenings in Penn Quarter often attending special community events on Friday’s.
After completing investigative tasks, I walk a short distance to the National Mall and Memorial Parks, home to the country’s most notable national museums, memorials, and galleries. As task loads can vary on a day-to-day basis, I have had opportunities to explore what historical national sites the District of Columbia offers as the Capital of the United States. With the Smithsonian National Museums, which includes seventeen historical, cultural, and scientific museums, along with inspiring memorials such as the Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam War Memorial, and the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, the National Mall may be one of the most influential areas in cultivating knowledge about the United States. A few favorite memorials and galleries thus far are the American History Museum, the American Indian Museum, the African American History and Culture Museum, the Natural History Museum, National Art Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery, the National Archives Museum, and the Holocaust Museum. During the weekends, I enjoy exploring a variety of local historic neighborhoods, local bookstores, and national parks. With communities such as Fort DuPont, Adams Morgan, Georgetown, and Navy Yard, there has yet to be a day that is not filled with sightseeing and adventure-seeking.
Before I began the internship, the spaces which I inhabited on a daily or weekly basis were located at or near Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. Similarities include being surrounded by prominent government buildings, a historical presence, controversial politics, and college education. Prior to the internship, I had filled my time at the Public Defender’s Office in Leon County along with classes and extracurriculars being a student at Florida State University. Since the Public Defender’s Office in Leon County provided legal representation to misdemeanor offenses, I was tasked solely with client-intakes due to large influxes of incarcerated indigent defendants. However, the Public Defender Services litigates the most serious and complex crimes and dedicates resources, support, and personnel towards field investigative work. Additionally, the District of Columbia has far more to offer as the Nation’s Capital in terms of historical prominence with government structures, museums, galleries, monuments, and neighborhoods. Although I am not being educated in a classroom, I am learning through an experiential internship about future career interests and the population in which I plan to serve as a Public Defender.
I have attached photographs of a map of the neighborhoods in the District of Columbia and a map of the Smithsonian National Mall, which includes my apartment & internship.
HSF House Blogs 