NCJ Number
18183
Date Published
1971
Length
163 pages
Annotation
RESULTS OF A STUDY TO DETERMINE THE RELATIONSHIP OF CERTAIN BACKGROUND CHARACTERISTICS OF POLICEWOMEN TO THEIR REASONS FOR CHOOSING THEIR OCCUPATION, MORALE, JOB SATISFACTION, DEGREE OF ANOMIA, AND PERSONALITY TRAITS.
Abstract
ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-EIGHT POLICEWOMEN EMPLOYED IN 14 DIFFERENT POLICE DEPARTMENTS IN THE UNITED STATES COMPLETED MAIL QUESTIONNAIRES. BACKGROUND CHARACTERISTICS OF AGE, RELIGION, RACE, EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT, SOCIO-ECONOMIC BACKGROUND STATUS, AND MARITAL STATUS WERE FIRST DETERMINED. PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT WAS ALSO NOTED. THE FIRST CONCERN OF THE INVESTIGATION WAS TO DETERMINE IF THESE CHARACTERISTICS WERE RELATED TO THE POLICEWOMAN'S REASON FOR JOINING THE POLICE. IN THIS REGARD, AGE WAS FOUND TO BE THE ONLY SIGNIFICANT VARIABLE. SIMILARLY, ONLY THE VARIABLE OF MARITAL STATUS WAS FOUND TO BE RELATED TO JOB SATISFACTION OR DEGREE OF LACK OF IDENTITY (ANOMIA). TESTS WERE ALSO ADMINISTERED TO THE SUBJECTS TO DETERMINE THEIR CONVENTIONALISM, AUTHORITARIAN AGGRESSION, AND CONCERN WITH SEXUAL 'GOINGS-ON'. RACE OF POLICEWOMEN WAS FOUND TO BE RELATED TO SCORES ON AGGRESSION, WHILE EDUCATION WAS RELATED TO SCORES ON CONVENTIONALISM AND AUTHORITARIAN AGGRESSION. NO RELATIONSHIP WAS FOUND BETWEEN THE TYPE OF WORK DONE BY POLICEWOMEN AND THEIR SCORES ON THESE THREE PERSONALITY TRAITS.