Reporter Rapport
The first step in building a successful media strategy is building a genuine rapport with the reporters who cover juvenile justice issues.
Bad press can sink any good cause. The key is to manage bad publicity while promoting media coverage that will bolster public support and create political momentum. Written specifically for juvenile justice advocates and officials, this nuts and bolts handbook provides insider tips for media advocacy, or ways to engage the press to promote reforms achieved through Casey’s Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI). Public opinion is on your side; all you need to do is describe the juvenile jail reforms in a way that is clear, heartfelt and taps into the values that Americans share.
Media advocacy can showcase how changing the system can improve and protect public safety, reduce costs and give young people a second chance. Research on media coverage of youth and crime shows that the press disproportionately covers youth associated with violence.