Ethical Considerations for Conducting Community-Based Participatory Research with Incarcerated Persons

• In Event: Ethics, Language, and Human Rights in Research, Policy, and Practice

Abstract

With over 2.1 million people incarcerated in the United States, ethical research in correctional settings is both necessary and challenging. Incarcerated individuals are a federally protected population, and their participation in research is potentially shaped by power dynamics, coercion risks, and institutional constraints. This paper argues for expanding Participatory Action Research (PAR) in prisons by integrating principles from Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR), which centers collaboration, shared power, and community empowerment. Drawing on Wallerstein’s CBPR framework, we present actionable recommendations for conducting ethical research that fosters trust, addresses systemic inequities, and ensures that incarcerated persons are treated as co-researchers rather than subjects. Our review demonstrates that applying CBPR principles can strengthen research outcomes, empower participants, and promote sustainable policy and institutional change. We conclude with best practice recommendations for researchers, IRBs, and funding institutions to support equitable, ethical, and transformative research with incarcerated populations.

Authors

• Ava Peters, University of Massachusetts Lowell

• Shelley Johnson, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

• Sasha Zabelski, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

• Robert J. Cramer, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

• Shannon Cain, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

• Lewis J. Peiper, NC Department of Adult Correction