<![CDATA[Research involving incarcerated youth in Indonesia requires careful attention to both ethical and methodological considerations due to the dual vulnerabilities of this population: as minors and detainees within the correctional system. This qualitative study explores the ethical challenges faced by researchers in designing, collecting, and presenting data, with a focus on empowering and involving incarcerated youth throughout the research process. The study uses an instrumental case study within an action research design, incorporating reflective practices and collaboration with both the youth participants and correctional staff. Purposive sampling was employed to select participants from a Juvenile Correctional Facility (LPKA) in West Sumatra, Indonesia, including male youths (n=74) aged 14–19 and relevant stakeholders such as correctional officers. This participatory approach allowed youth to be actively engaged in all stages of the research, from the design to the data collection and analysis. The article highlights the need of research frameworks such as emancipatory pedagogy, empowerment theory, the transformative paradigm, and Positive Youth Development (PYD) to guide the research process, ensuring that ethical relationships are maintained and power imbalances are minimized. The findings emphasize the importance of social justice, reflexivity, and collaboration in research with vulnerable populations. Also, the findings show the needs of incarcerated youth take a central position when researching within juvenile correctional facilities. This paper contributes to the discourse on ethical research with incarcerated youth in Indonesia and advocates for justice-oriented methodologies that foster social change while respecting participants' autonomy and dignity. In doing so, research becomes not only a means of generating knowledge but also a catalyst for meaningful social change.]]>
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