Job Satisfaction of Female Police Officers in the South African Police Service

• NCJ Number: 217067
• Journal: Acta Criminologica Volume: 19 Issue: 2 Dated: 2006 Pages: 88-104
• Author(s): C. J. Morrison; H. Conradie
• Date Published: 2006
• Length: 17 pages
• Publication Format: Document (Online)
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: South Africa
• Note: To access the full text PDF: 1) select the provided link; 2) from the Acta Criminologica Web site, select "Table of Contents"; 3) select the corresponding Volume and Issue (see the NCJRS abstract record for the exact Volume and Issue); 4) scroll the Table of Contents to the exact article; and 5) click on the "full text" icon. Downloaded on January 23, 2007.

Annotation

This study examined job satisfaction of female police officers in the South African Police Service.

Abstract

Female police officers participating in this study felt that their male colleagues did not acknowledge them as colleagues, but as women. They were not respected or regarded as capable of doing the job, because they were not male. In regards to sexual harassment, it occurred as isolated incidents. However, as more women enter the occupation of policing and are promoted into positions of authority, women may well be in a position to assist their female co-workers in the future to attain higher positions in the hierarchy of the policing structure. The role of women in society has changed considerably which is emphatically demonstrated in the South African Police Service (SAPS). Women have been and to a certain extent still are part of a minority group in SAPS activities. However, the past decade has seen a steady inflow of women into this once male-dominated occupation. Women are now entering policing occupations traditionally held by men and are taking their rightful place in law enforcement. This study of 26 female police officers portrayed the relationships of female police officers with their colleagues, frustrations and barriers at work, job satisfaction, and promotion possibilities. Tables, references