TABLE 1.

Essential Components and Approaches for Conducting Research with a Department of Corrections

Essential Component	Steps to Be Taken	Suggested Approaches
Develop a collaborative research relationship	Know the system	Review Department of Corrections rules and regulations; Establish early contact with decision makers at the state and prison levels
	Obtain appropriate permissions	Obtain approval from Institutional Review Board and from Department of Corrections; Obtain OHRP Certification Letter
	Emphasize mutual goals	Identify a senior corrections administrator as collaborator/co-investigator; Discuss research interests and aims with facility superintendents for feedback and modification; Clarify benefits to each facility
Establish the prison contacts	Work with administrative personnel, health care staff, security personnel, and inmates	Identify key personnel; Establish and maintain a professional relationship; Emphasize their importance in carrying out the study; Keep them fully informed throughout the study
Maintain rigorous research methods	Accommodate to variations in prison cultures	Learn how each facility is set up; Know and follow the rules; Identify strategies to cope with differences between facilities; Manage time to accommodate different recruitment and interview requirements
	Data collection, maintain inmate’s privacy	Maintain security and confidentiality during interviews and data collection; Obtain Certificate of Confidentiality