Policy Memo: Expanding Health Equity in Wisconsin Prisons and Jails through Access to Menstrual Products
|
Shelby Weaver (1), Zena Jensvold (2), Marie Fiori (3)
Corresponding author: [email protected] |
Keywords: menstrual equity; Wisconsin; incarceration; health disparities
Executive Summary: The population of incarcerated people who menstruate in the Wisconsin correctional system has increased significantly over the last decade. Though necessary for the health and wellbeing of these individuals, menstrual products are not guaranteed at a reasonable cost throughout the Wisconsin correctional system, making them inaccessible, particularly to individuals from marginalized communities. The current system causes extreme physical and mental health problems, as many incarcerated individuals may go without these necessary products or attempt to make their own. Thirteen states have enacted legislation to provide menstrual products at no cost to citizens in prisons and jails. We advise that the Wisconsin State Legislature pass similar legislation that requires prisons and jails to provide free menstrual products to incarcerated Wisconsinites.
-Read the full article through download.- |
References
- American Civil Liberties Union. 2019. “The Unequal Price of Periods: Menstrual Equity in the United States.” https://aclu.org/report/unequal-price-periods.
- Carson, E. Ann. 2020. “Prisoners in 2019.” Prisoners Series. Bureau of Justice Statistics. https://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=7106.
- Grant, Jaime M., Lisa Mottet, Justin Tanis, Jack Harrison, Jody Herman, and Mara Keisling. 2011. Injustice at Every Turn: A Report of the National Transgender Discrimination Survey. National Center for Transgender Equality.
- Greenberg, Zoe. 2017. “In Jail, Pads and Tampons as Bargaining Chips.” The New York Times, April 20, 2017, sec. New York. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/20/nyregion/pads-tampons-new-york-womens-prisons.html
- H.B. 318, Sess. of 2021 (Missouri 2021). https://house.mo.gov/BillContentMobile.aspx?year=2021&code=R&bill=HB318.
- Juneja, A., A. Sehgal, A. B. Mitra, and A. Pandey. 2003. “A Survey on Risk Factors Associated with Cervical Cancer.” Indian Journal of Cancer 40 (1): 15–22.
- Kane, Jessica. 2017. “Here’s How Much A Woman’s Period Will Cost Her Over A Lifetime.” The Huffington Post (blog). December 6, 2017. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/period-cost-lifetime_n_7258780.
- Missouri Appleseed. 2018. “An Exploration of the Menstrual Needs and Health of Women Incarcerated in Missouri State Prisons.” St. Louis, MO.
- Prisons; State, County and Municipal. Wis. Stat. § 302.372. https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/302/372/2/d.
- Rossouw, Laura, and Hana Ross. 2021. “Understanding Period Poverty: Socio-Economic Inequalities in Menstrual Hygiene Management in Eight Low- and Middle-Income Countries.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18 (5). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18052571.
- Sawyer, Wendy. 2017. “How Much Do Incarcerated People Earn in Each State?” Prison Policy Initiative Blog. April 10, 2017. https://www.prisonpolicy.org/blog/2017/04/10/wages/.
- U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons, operations memorandum. “Provision of Feminine Hygiene Products,” August 1, 2017. https://www.bop.gov/policy/om/001_2017.pdf.
- Walker, Taylor. 2019. “The Dehumanizing Effects of Inadequate Access to Menstrual Products in Prisons and Jails.” Witness LA, November 17, 2019. https://witnessla.com/due-to-inadequate-access-to-menstrual-products-periods-in-prison-can-be-stigmatizing/
- Weinberg, Tessa. 2021. “Bill would provide hygiene products in Missouri jails.” The Missouri Independent. May 4, 2021. https://www.newstribune.com/news/news/story/2021/may/04/bill-would-provide-hygiene-products-in-city-county-jails/869773/
Shelby Weaver is a Ph.D. Student in Psychology at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. Her research focuses on the relationship between traumatic experiences, mental health disorders, and behaviors that increase involvement with the Criminal Justice System. She is a member of the executive board of Catalysts for Science Policy at UW-Madison and hopes to work on policy issues related to the Criminal Justice System after graduation.
Zena Jensvold is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Cellular and Molecular Biology program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She researches human endogenous retroviruses and how misregulation of these elements can cause cancer and other diseases. She is a member of the executive board of Catalysts for Science Policy at UW-Madison (serving as deputy treasurer) along with being a member of the National Science Policy Network’s Central Hub.
Zena Jensvold is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Cellular and Molecular Biology program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She researches human endogenous retroviruses and how misregulation of these elements can cause cancer and other diseases. She is a member of the executive board of Catalysts for Science Policy at UW-Madison (serving as deputy treasurer) along with being a member of the National Science Policy Network’s Central Hub.
DISCLAIMER: The findings and conclusions published herein are solely attributed to the author and not necessarily endorsed or adopted by the Journal of Science Policy and Governance. Articles are distributed in compliance with copyright and trademark agreements.
ISSN 2372-2193
ISSN 2372-2193
