At The Fortune Society, the Center for Research, Inquiry, and Social Justice (CRIS-J) conducts research aimed at promoting equity and justice while highlighting the perspectives of people impacted by the criminal legal system. This essential work brings together diverse individuals and backgrounds, including community members, service providers, advocates, and researchers, to inform and create meaningful change.  

Earlier this year, Amour Castillo, a Project Manager for CRIS-J and a Ph.D. candidate, attended the Academic Consortium on Criminal Justice Health (ACCJH), a national conference focused on health and criminal justice. This gathering brought together researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and individuals directly affected by the criminal legal system, emphasizing the need to address disparities in care for marginalized populations.  

At the conference, Amour presented the Rapid Qualitative Analysis (RQA) process used by Fortune, underscoring the importance of incorporating the perspectives and ideas of Fortune’s community members into their work. The presentation analyzed CRIS-J’s research methods, highlighting how feedback from CAB members with lived experience shaped their studies and continues to guide CRIS-J’s initiatives. 

CRIS-J’s research identified common challenges faced by participants, such as difficulties navigating healthcare systems and accessing supportive services. These findings directly informed the creation of Community Health Advocates at Fortune, a role within CRIS-J designed to address these barriers through one-on-one communication and support for participants.  

“People expressed a need for assistance in navigating services, both within and outside of Fortune,” Amour noted. “So, we created this role based on their feedback, and it has proven to be very impactful.”  

In addition to presenting this analysis, Amour also led a session on community-based participatory research (CBPR), showcasing the long-standing partnership between The Fortune Society and its clinical collaborators, like Montefiore Einstein. This approach differs from traditional research models by actively involving community stakeholders at every stage, rather than limiting their involvement to recruitment or data collection.  

“A lot of clinical research can be extractive,” Amour said. “In this collaboration, we’re focused on building something together and ensuring its sustainability. This is a key reason why our partnership with Montefiore Einstein has lasted for nearly a decade.”  

As more institutions adopt participatory methods, there is greater recognition that individuals with lived experience offer critical insights into the systems being studied. At Fortune, this perspective is already integrated into practice and culture, especially through roles like Community Health Advocates, who use their experiences to assist others in navigating complex care systems.  

Looking ahead, the research team is preparing to expand this work into a multi-site, multi-year study that will test the implementation of the Community Health Advocate model in additional locations. The goal is to enhance engagement with community voices and maintain a commitment to building research that is both responsive and accountable.  

This dedication to equity in research was recognized at the conference, where Amour received the Lynette Abdul Waliy Scholarship, which honors an advocate and scholar with lived experience who significantly influenced the field. Amour expressed that this acknowledgment of her work is especially meaningful to her.  

“Much of my work is grounded in relationships, listening, and breaking the silences imposed by systems on people impacted by incarceration and their loved ones, so this recognition resonates deeply with me,” Amour said. “Being recognized alongside physicians and researchers shows that this work is important, and that lived experience is a form of expertise.”