Here we are--we have reached the end. Now that we know the reality of trying to find adequate OB/GYN healthcare behind bars, what do we do about it? Is there some way to make things better? In this episode, I talk to three people pioneering change for incarcerated women and explore a variety of solutions.

SOURCES:

1. https://www.apha.org/Policies-and-Advocacy/Public-Health-Policy-Statements/Policy-Database/2022/01/07/Advancing-Public-Health-Interventions-to-Address-the-Harms-of-the-Carceral-System

2. https://www.usnews.com/news/healthiest-communities/articles/2020-10-12/new-moms-in-prison-get-help-from-someone-whos-been-there

3. Intergenerational transmission of attachment for infants raised in a prison nursery (2010) Byrne, M. W., Goshin, L.S., and Joestl, S. S.

4. “Guides to Promote Your Health and Wellbeing” from Grassroots Maternal and Child Healthcare & Mothers on the Rise

5. Child separation from incarcerated mothers (2020) Carlson, J. M.

6. Prison nurseries: Experiences of incarcerated women during pregnancy (2016) Fritz, S. and Whiteacre, K.

7. https://fsph.iupui.edu/research-centers/centers/cheer/grassroots/mothers-on-the-rise.html

8. https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/mothers-on-the-rise-supporting-incarcerated-mothers-and-their-babies-indiana/531-b01d297c-f4c3-4322-a863-19b4a5fe76f6

9. “International report on the conditions of children of incarcerated parents: A survey of prison nurseries” (2017) Melanie Paurus via Children of Incarcerated Caregivers

10. https://wyofile.com/born-behind-bars-wyomings-approach-to-pregnancy-in-prison/

11. “Mothers Behind Bars: A state-by-state report card and analysis of federal policies on conditions of confinement for pregnant and parenting women and the effect on their children” (2010) The Rebecca Project for Human Rights and National Women’s Law Center

12. https://www.nationalaffairs.com/publications/detail/on-prison-nurseries

13. https://www.wbiw.com/2022/08/18/there-is-help-for-mothers-who-give-birth-in-prison/

14. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWmfrpd-ohs&ab_channel=WACorrections

15. The effectiveness of prison nursery programs in reducing recidivism: A systematic review (2018) Ward, A. M.

16. Assessing outcomes for Wee Ones Nursery at Indiana Women’s Prison (2013) Whiteacre, K., Fritz, S., and Owen, J.

17. The importance of early bonding on the long-term mental health and resilience of children (2016) Winston, R. and Chicot, R.

There are some inmates in women's carceral facilities who are especially vulnerable to medical abuse and neglect. I didn't have enough time in one semester to adequately (and respectfully) cover all of those risk factors, so I chose to spotlight the LGBTQ+ community as just one poignant example.

I apologize for any audio anomalies that may result from my having to re-record a few segments, ironically enough, in the closet.

Sources:

1. “This is a prison, glitter is not allowed: Experiences of trans and gender variant people in Pennsylvania’s prison systems” (2011) Pascal Emmer, Adrian Lowe, & R. Barrett Marshall via The Hearts on a Wire Collective

2. Creating, reinforcing, and resisting the gender binary: a qualitative study of transgender women’s healthcare experiences in sex-segregated jails and prisons (2017) Hughto, J. M. W., Clark, K. A., Altice, F. L. et al.

3. Health care during incarceration: A policy position paper from the American College of Physicians (2022) Kendig, N. E., Butkus, R., Mathew, S., et al.

4. “Women and imprisonment in the U.S.: History and current reality” by Nancy Kurshan, Prison Activist Resource Center

5. Resistance Behind Bars: The Struggles of Incarcerated Women 2nd ed. (2012) by Victoria Law

6. “Coming out of concrete closets: A report on Black & Pink’s LGBTQ prisoner survey,” v. 2 (2015) from Black and Pink by Jason Lydon, Kamaria Carrington, Hana Low, et al.

7. Exploring healthcare experiences for incarcerated individuals who identify as transgender in a Southern jail (2018) McCauley, E., Eckstrand, K., Desta, B, et al.

8. “LGBTQ people behind bars: A guide to understanding the issues facing transgender prisoners and their legal rights” (2018) National Center for Transgender Equality

9. https://www.ncchc.org/position-statements/transgender-and-gender-diverse-health-care-in-correctional-settings-2020/

10. “Incarcerated LGTQ+ adults and youth” (2022) Emma Stammen & Nazgol Ghandnoosh via The Sentencing Project

Carceral institutions fall short even on the most basic preventative care for incarcerated women. Yet many inmates don't have access to any healthcare on the outside. How are we to reckon with the duality of jail/prison as a place of both medical harm and a public health resource?

SOURCES:

1. https://www.aafp.org/about/policies/all/incarceration.html

2. https://womenprisoners.org/sherrie-chapman-presente/

3. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr6403a1.htm

4. https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-jails-women/

5. Testing for HIV, sexually transmitted infections, and viral hepatitis in jails: Still a missed opportunity for public health and HIV prevention (2010) Flanigan, T. P., Zaller, N., Beckwith, C. G., et al.

6. Redistributing the Poor: Jails, Hospitals, and the Crisis of Law and Fiscal Austerity by Armando Lara-Millán

7. Resistance Behind Bars, 2nd Edition, by Victoria Law

8. “HIV in prisons, 2021: Statistical tables” (2023) from DOJ Bureau of Justice Statistics by Maruschak, L. M.

9. “Survey of prison inmates, 2016: Medical problems reported by prisoners” (2021) from DOJ Bureau of Justice Statistics by Maruschak, L. M., Bronson, J., & Alper, M.

10. https://www.ncchc.org/position-statements/administrative-management-for-people-living-with-hiv-in-correctional-institutions-2020/

11. https://www.ncchc.org/position-statements/sti-testing-for-adolescents-and-adults-upon-admission-to-correctional-facilities-2020/

12. https://www.ncchc.org/position-statements/womens-health-care-in-correctional-settings-2020/

13. http://womenprisoners.org/350000-award-to-sherrie-chapman/

14. Jailcare: Finding the Safety Net for Women Behind Bars by Carolyn Sufrin

15. HIV among persons incarcerated in the U.S.: A review of evolving concepts in testing, treatment, and linkage tocommunity care (2013) Westergaard, R. P., Spaulding, A. C., & Flanigan, T.P.