First and foremost, safe and ethical research starts with trust, honesty, and respect. That means being transparent about the goals of the research, ensuring voluntary and informed participation, and creating a safe, judgment-free environment. Anonymity and confidentiality are essential—especially for participants sharing experiences within systems that hold power over them. 

But it’s not just about how we ask questions—it’s about who gets to ask them. We need the meaningful involvement of peer researchers at every stage—design, fieldwork, analysis, and sharing results. Their lived experience brings insight, empathy, and trust to the process. It allows participants to reflect with someone who has walked in their shoes, and that shared understanding adds deep social value to research projects. 

We must also pay peer researchers fairly—not as a token gesture, but because their contribution is skilled, professional, and essential. Too often, lived experience is included late, or in limited ways. Instead, people should be co-creators of the research, and not just invited to take part—they should help lead it. 

When it comes to sharing research, accessibility is key. Findings must be clear, in plain language, and publicly available—not hidden behind academic paywalls. This isn’t just about transparency, but about justice—because those most affected by the findings deserve to understand and use them. 

So how do we turn research into real impact? 

We need to co-produce services with the people who use them—those with lived experience alongside service providers. We must tackle root causes like poverty, trauma, and lack of opportunity, and shift focus from punishment to rehabilitation, community support, and restoration. Research should inform action and lived experience should shape not just the conversation—but the decisions. 

We must also confront knowledge imbalances. Peer researchers often uncover perspectives that academic researchers might overlook. Their insights improve the quality of our evidence, reduce epistemic injustice, and increase knowledge equity. 

Ultimately, if we want to create a system that genuinely makes society safer, we need to stop studying people and start building with them. People with lived experience are not just participants—they are leaders, analysts, and change-makers. Let’s give them the resources, the recognition, and the respect to lead that change. 

Jenni Berlin

Lead Research Manager