NCJ Number
88691
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 10 Issue: 4 Dated: (December 1982) Pages: 376-383
Date Published
1982
Length
8 pages
Annotation
Research in a large Southeastern metropolitan area indicates that neither race nor sex alone directly determines police officer responses in various confrontations.
Abstract
Study hypotheses were that (1) police officers are less inclined to arrest women than men for most types of offenses; (2) women who violate stereotypes of feminine behavior by committing offenses traditionally considered male offenses are more apt to be arrested than women committing offenses traditionally considered female offenses; (3) women whose demeanor involves traditionally masculine behavior are more likely to be arrested than men with similar demeanor regardless of type of offense; and (4) black women are more likely to be arrested than white women. A total of 584 questionnaires were administered to police officers in 4 departments and a police academy during September 1978-August 1979. The data selected for presentation in this article are from the largest police department in the region (n=181). Forty vignettes were constructed to measure the effects of the independent variables (type of offense, race of offender, sex of offender, and demeanor of the offender) on the decisions of patrol officers and detectives. None of the hypotheses were supported by the findings. Type of offense was the most important information affecting disposition of the vignettes, and demeanor was also important, although its influence varied with type of offense. The larger study will include both field observations and the administration of additional questionnaires to officers. Eighteen references are listed, along with tabular data.