Re-imagining health research to include the voices of justice-impacted individuals

People with prior justice system involvement experience health disparities, yet are often underrepresented in research. We sought to 1) explore the perspectives of individuals with prior justice involvement regarding research and science and 2) identify barriers to their participation in research. Focus groups with 67 participants from five advocacy groups across the United States revealed interest in research participation. To enable participation, researchers need to accommodate prior commitments and offer adequate compensation. Collaboration with advocacy organizations supporting justice-impacted individuals can facilitate recruitment and engagement goals. This study can inform optimal strategies for engaging individuals impacted by the justice system in research. The voices of justice-impacted individuals can provide diverse perspectives on health research programs and allow for the collection of meaningful data to understand the effects and possible solutions for severe health disparities in the United States.