NCJ Number
16744
Journal
Police Journal Volume: 47 Issue: 4 Dated: (OCTOBER-DECEMBER 1974) Pages: 340-358
Date Published
1974
Length
19 pages
Annotation
EVALUATION OF POLICEWOMEN FULFILLING ROLES PREVIOUSLY RESERVED FOR MEN ALONE.
Abstract
THE AUTHOR USES STUDIES OF THE ROLE OF POLICEWOMEN IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AND NEW YORK CITY AS A BASIS FOR THIS STUDY. ATTENTION IS MAINLY FOCUSED ON A COMPARISON OF MALE AND FEMALE POLICE OFFICERS IN A PATROL SITUATION. THE FINDINGS ON PUBLIC ATTITUDES TOWARD POLICEWOMEN ARE VERY LIMITED. THE TWO STUDIES INDICATE THAT THE HIRING OF POLICEWOMEN IN PATROL AREAS WILL CAUSE SOME PROBLEMS OF ADJUSTMENT BUT WILL HELP TO OVERCOME THE PROBLEM OF UNDER-REPRESENTATION OF MINORITIES ON THE POLICE FORCE. THIS CHANGE IS FELT BY SOME POLICEWOMEN TO REPRESENT A DIMINUTION OF STATUS BECAUSE OF THE SHIFT FROM A SPECIALIST TO A GENERALIST ROLE. FOLLOWING SOME HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHTS OF THE EVOLUTION, COMMENTS ARE MADE ON CURRENT HAPPENINGS. FINDINGS SHOW THAT IN A YEARLONG EXPERIMENT IN WASHINGTON, D.C., NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN JOB PERFORMANCE WAS FOUND FOR MALE OR FEMALE OFFICERS ON PATROL.