Speakers
Parallel Workshops
It is no surprise to those who conduct correctional research that this line of work is challenging for a multitude of often overlapping reasons. This workshop first reviews the juxtaposition between the imperative for high-quality correctional research to advance policies and practices on the one hand, and the inherent challenges posed by the environments and populations we aim to study on the other. Much of the workshop then reviews findings from a published 2025 study in which U.S. researchers with predominantly psychology and criminology backgrounds were surveyed about their experiences, motivations, and proposed strategies for conducting correctional research. Quantitative and qualitative analyses from 83 respondents revealed barriers mostly centered on concerns or constraints by a partnering correctional agency; however, few respondents reported issues with the agency’s willingness to collaborate. The extent of barriers was not associated with researchers’ career level, age, years of experience, or employment setting. Despite challenges, participants were largely motivated by their interests in addressing social justice issues. Result from this survey support the need to allocate better resources to correctional researchers and agencies if the goal is to make criminal justice systems more effective and humane. This workshop will also engage participants in an interactive discussion focused on how findings from this survey may or may not apply to their experiences or settings, and what approaches participants have used to enhancing working relationships with correctional agencies to achieve more rigorous research.