Citation

Bandara SN, McGinty EE, Barry CL. Int. J. Drug Policy 2020; 76: e102643.

Affiliation

Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624N. Broadway Ave Rm. 357, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. Electronic address: cbarry@jhu.edu.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.drugpo.2019.102643

PMID

31918400

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Individuals with drug convictions are at heightened risk of poor health, due in part to punitive public policies. This study tests the effects of message frames on: (1) public stigma towards individuals with felony drug convictions and (2) support for four policies in the United States (U.S.) affecting social determinants of health: mandatory minimum sentencing laws, 'ban-the-box' employment laws, and restrictions to supplemental nutrition and public housing programs.

METHODS: A randomized experiment (n = 3,758) was conducted in April 2018 using a nationally representative online survey panel in the U.S. Participants were randomized to a no-exposure arm or one of nine exposure arms combining: (1) a description of the consequences of incarceration and community reentry framed in one of three ways: a public safety issue, a social justice issue or having an impact on the children of incarcerated individuals, (2) a narrative description of an individual released from prison, and (3) a picture depicting the race of the narrative subject. Logistic regression was used to assess effects of the frames.

RESULTS: Social justice and the impact on children framing lowered social distance measures and increased support for ban-the-box laws.

CONCLUSION: These findings can inform the development of communication strategies to reduce stigma and advocacy efforts to support the elimination of punitive polices towards individuals with drug convictions.

Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Criminal justice; Messaging; Policy; Stigma