Promoting healthy public policies for California's women prisoners: A media advocacy plan

Prison healthcare policies are based upon the standard needs of men. However, research confirms that women in prison have specific health needs related to gynecologic, pregnancy and breast health; and have an increased incidence of chronic health problems not addressed by the system. The impact of this gap on marginalized communities of women, predominantly women of color and single mothers, is devastating not only to the women, but to their children and society. In 2005, the California prison medical system was deemed negligent and in violation of prisoners' human rights. The system has since been turned over to an outside receivership charged with solving this complex problem. Under intense public scrutiny, prisoner health is and will continue to be covered by the news. News coverage has a strong impact on how policymakers perceive social issues and influences legislative decision-making. A valuable tool in affecting policy is strategic media advocacy. A developed media advocacy plan can take advantage of current news coverage to place issues important to women prisoners onto the agendas of policymakers. A media advocacy plan was developed to provide a strategic and practical guide for advocates to communicate effectively with the media on critical health issues of women prisoners. The following methodologies were employed in the development of this plan; a comprehensive literature review, a six-month newspaper content analysis, and key informant interviews with media experts. As advocates become more effective at promoting healthier public policies towards California's female prisoners, policymakers will have to take note.