The Intake Complaint Unit reviews claims of civil rights and civil liberties violations.  The ICU receives and processes more than 2000 complaints annually.  The ICU reviews any complaint from a Missourian.  Complaints emanate from various sources, but primarily stem from letters, phones calls and electronically filed online complaints.

The ACLU of Missouri has always had at its core and made provisions for the acceptance of complaints from Missourians.  Historically, complaints have been fielded by the ACLU’s Legal Director and Staff Attorney, Tony Rothert and Jessie Steffan, respectively. 

During the Summer of 2017, the ACLU’s Legal Department embarked upon establishing a formalized Intake Complaint Unit managed by an Intake Coordinator and supported by an inaugural cohort of 4 undergraduate interns instrumental in assisting with laying the foundation for the implementation of the Intake Complaint Unit. Many, many thanks to Duncan, Richard, Daniel and Inka!

Meet the ICU's inaugural cohort of undergraduate interns

Duncan Stewart - Miami University (OH)

I mainly handled the prison letters, and I found this to be incredibly rewarding. Before this internship, I had not had much exposure to the prison population  and I didn’t know much about the issues facing inmates. I feel that I gained empathy through reading and responding to these letters. I had to face innate prejudices I had about those in prison. Reading letter after letter detailing the horrible conditions was eye-opening. While it was disheartening that there are so few inmates that we can represent, I feel proud that I helped in small ways, like sending out complaint forms.

The weekly meetings were one of my favorite parts of this internship. Discussing the complaints gave me a better idea of how the ACLU works and the kinds of cases we can take on. I really enjoyed talking over each complaint to work out whether it contained an issue we could help with.

I loved working on the ICU Team. I always knew I could turn to a fellow intern or the Intake Coordinator for help on any issue. We all helped each other out and worked together as a unit. We all brought different experiences and backgrounds to the ACLU which helped us in the Complaint Counselor position. Working with this team was my favorite part of this internship.

I have had a great summer at the ACLU. Coming into this internship, I really wasn’t sure what to expect. I was worried it would just be busywork and I wouldn’t be actually contributing. But contrary to my concerns, I felt like the Complaint Counselors have an incredibly important role within the organization. On a daily basis, I knew I was making a difference and doing meaningful work. I was able to work with the community through returning calls, improve my writing skills by writing summaries of prison letters, and work on several interesting projects throughout the summer. I will leave the ACLU at the end of the summer with an amazing experience and having gained important skills. This has been an incredible internship, and I am so glad I had this opportunity. 

Richard Omoniyi-Shoyoola - University of Chicago  (IL)

The ACLU of Missouri’s Intake Complaint Unit is at the front lines of the public interest and legal advocacy work that this organization carries out daily. Complaint Counselors are tasked with engaging complainants over the phone and through mail as well as investigating their cases to glean more information, reviewing cases in weekly meetings to discuss further action, and updating databases with relevant case information, among other tasks and responsibilities. Additionally, Complaint Counselors are tasked with completing special projects that advance the mission of the ACLU of Missouri.

During my internship, I helped to update an existing resource manual by researching and adding additional resources relevant to the needs ACLU complainants.  In addition, this same manual was transformed into an online searchable Information & Referral Resource Manual enabling future counselors the ability refer complainants to relevant organizations that can provide assistance. I was also grateful for the quality and content of the work that I was expected to perform. If you are accepted for this internship, you will do far more than fetch coffee!  

The kind of work performed as a Complaint Counselor at the ACLU of Missouri is meaningful.  I was most touched by my assistance performed to a pregnant inmate who reached out to us in urgent need of medical aid. Such stories are not often publicized or put on a headline, but create a substantive effect in the lives of those who are involved. As a complaint counselor, I was confronted with the importance of prison and jail oversight, as well as the consequences of an over-worked public defender system. These were issues that I had been aware of prior to my experience, but never with the same degree of closeness.

I recommend this internship for those who are eager to spend their time making a difference in the lives of those with constitutional rights violations and learning more about legal nonprofits.

Inka Boehm - Trinity University (TX)

Working as an intern for the Intake Complaint Unit of the ACLU has been a rewarding experience. The general role of a complaint counselor is to assist in taking in complaints and filtering through cases we as an organization can provide assistance for and those we cannot. I had the privilege of taking in both online and hard-copy complaints, as well as calling potential clients about their cases. While a good portion of the average day is devoted to this basic level of intake, each of us was assigned a special project. Mine was to help develop a catalogue of Missouri jails and their healthcare providers in order to ascertain the quality of their treatment. I corresponded with different jailers and sheriffs throughout the state to find the relevant information.

A true highlight of this internship was being able to talk to the people we were helping. Seeing a case get assigned to one of the attorneys after having spoken to the client and walking them through the intake process never gets old. It was a nice acknowledgement that all the work we were doing really does count for something.

Through this internship I have gained a more intensive understanding of the Missouri Corrections System, as well as ongoing issues such as with the Public Defender's’ Office. Coming into this job, I was worried I would be stuck with menial, soul-sucking labor. Instead, much to my relief, all of my assigned duties and tasks were varied and interesting. Each individual had a unique complaint and I felt a lot of responsibility getting to find the salient points.

I strongly recommend this internship for anyone wanting to make an impact, to learn about the different legal issues in our state, or just work with some of the most dedicated people you will ever meet. 

Daniel Pang - Washington University (MO)

My rewarding experience as an intern for the Intake Complaint Unit of the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri has helped me develop valuable skills for career opportunities in the future. From holding individual responsibilities to learning how to excel and become a productive team member in group settings. I’ve found that my short time here has been more than worthwhile. One of the best parts of being a member of the intern team at the ACLU of Missouri is that each member plays an active role in being directly involved with the organization’s mission. I’ve always felt that my work in the office provides a meaningful contribution to the staff and clients of our organization; this has not always been the case with past internship experiences.

The Intake Coordinator (Elaine) that I work under has always stressed that any input from myself and my fellow interns is always welcomed because the unit works the best when it works as a team. Through this comfortable environment that has been present since the very first day of my internship, my fellow interns and I have been encouraged to discover more productive ways to perform our weekly tasks and increase efficiency around the office as a whole. When I review the complaint forms of prospective complainants and engage in one-on-one conversations with them over the phone, I feel a personal connection between the work I do in the office and how my work can help make a positive impact on the lives of real people living in Missouri.

Over the last couple of months, my eyes have been opened to the brutal realities of civil rights violations that occur on a daily basis in Missouri alone. This experience has proven to be an outstanding wake-up call for me personally because I had never been exposed to the harsh conditions that several Americans face every single day prior to starting my internship.

My experience has made me realize that the ACLU has a mission focused on a goal beyond ordinary politics. The Constitution’s Bill of Rights was drafted by our Founding Fathers to protect citizens against an oppressive system. When these protections are violated, a citizen loses her voice; it’s an absolutely magnificent feeling to know that I work and play a role in an organization that can return these lost voices back to the citizens of our envisioned democracy.