HWS News
20 April 2020 Bamah '22 Interns with Queens DA Office
Following his first year on campus,political science major and public policy and Latin American studies double minor Michael Bamah '22 spent the summer interning with the Queens, New York, District Attorney's Office working in the domestic violence bureau.
Assigned to more than 50 cases, Bamah interviewed law enforcement officers, reviewed evidence, prepared court complaints and shadowed an Assistant District Attorney. He says the experience allowed him to gain a new perspective on the many forms of abuse such as physical, emotional and economic, as well as the treatment options available in sentencing.
"Prior to the internship, I thought the only reasonable punishment for domestic abuse was jail time," Bamah says. "Through working at the District Attorney's Office, I found alternatives such as batterer's intervention programs, drug abuse programs and anger management programs."
Utilizing the skills he learned in Professor of Public Policy Craig Rimmerman's Democracy and Public Policy class, he helped form arguments while working the cases. He also listened to 911 calls, reviewed police officer body camera footage and other evidence obtained by law enforcement in order to help determine what charges to pursue.
As one of 10 interns ranging from third-year law students to rising college sophomores, he also enjoyed collaborating with and learning from his peers.
On campus, he is an O'Laughlin Ambassador for the Office of Admissions and a member of the Hobart Dean's Council, where his experience listening to student concerns on campus led him to understand victims concerns in the DAs office. Following graduation, he intends to go to law school and pursue a career in public policy.