Deciding when to make noise: A study of youth voice in carceral contexts

Many advocates seek to engage young people in justice reform efforts, arguing that youths' voices will produce a more just legal system. However, it is unclear what youth voice and civic engagement more broadly mean to young people or how experiences such as incarceration shape the ways youth speak out. The purpose of this study is to develop a theory explaining how youth involved in the legal system use their voices to address issues affecting their lives and communities. The study used community-engaged and constructivist grounded theory methodologies to interview 14 formerly incarcerated young people aged 18-25. An intensive process of simultaneous coding and analysis was conducted after each interview, and two youth consultants with lived experience in the legal system advised on methods and analysis. Results produced a model of adaptive voice showing how young people speak out selectively in carceral contexts to help create a better future while protecting themselves from the risks of doing so in this constrained setting. Specifically, young people developed various strategies to try to increase the impact and reduce the consequences of using their voices. Such strategies included intentionally staying silent, taking covert actions, taking an explicit stand, contributing to a larger movement, leveraging opportunities, and strengthening their credibility. Results offer implications for broader discourses on youth voice in carceral contexts and for promoting the civic development of young people involved in the legal system.