New research explores how personal connections to civil society organizations (CSOs) can buffer the negative effects of incarceration on political participation beyond traditional voting. Using data from Chicago, this study reveals a counterintuitive finding: while involuntary criminal justice contact generally reduces all forms of political engagement, prior involvement with CSOs strengthens nonvoting political activities among those who've been incarcerated—even in states that restore the franchise immediately after release. The findings challenge simplistic assumptions about civic disengagement post-incarceration and suggest complex pathways to sustained political influence outside electoral processes.

📍 Key Context

• Met with rising incarceration rates nationwide, this research examines how contact with justice system affects broader associational life and participation patterns.