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Despite the myriad barriers formerly incarcerated individuals face during reentry, many are returning home and pursuing postsecondary pathways. In this brief, I share findings from a qualitative case study examining how formerly incarcerated students elect to participate in free expression and civic engagement on campus. I find that although students believe speech is protected under the law and ostensibly believe that they can engage and speak freely on campus, in practice, they often are more selective on when to speak up or how much to share depending on the setting they are in or to whom they are speaking. Nonetheless, they remain active in their community, volunteering, assuming organizational leadership positions in clubs, and advocating for local and state policy change. Findings have implications for how colleges can better support formerly incarcerated students and create more inclusive campuses.
