U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

WOMEN IN POLICING - A MANUAL

NCJ Number
18545
Author(s)
A ABRAMOWITZ; L CRITES; M GATES; E MINTZ; G SANDLER
Date Published
1974
Length
97 pages
Annotation
A SURVEY AND GUIDE TO POLICE AGENCIES AND MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS IN THE SUCCESSFUL RECRUITMENT TRAINING, AND UTILIZATION OF FEMALE POLICE OFFICERS, WITH EMPHASIS ON OBSTACLES FACED BY POLICEWOMEN.
Abstract
CASE STUDIES OF THE EXPERIENCES OF SEVERAL POLICE FORCES IN EMPLOYING FEMALE POLICE OFFICERS ARE FIRST PROVIDED. AN OUTLINE FOR A SIX-MONTH RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN, AND SUGGESTIONS ON MONITORING THE RECRUITMENT EFFORT ARE ALSO GIVEN. SELECTION STANDARDS WHICH MAY NEED SCRUTINY DUE TO THEIR TENDENCY TO LIMIT SIGNIFICANTLY THE NUMBER OF WOMEN ACCEPTED INTO POLICE DEPARTMENTS ARE DISCUSSED, AND ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES TO THESE SELECTION CRITERIA ARE SUGGESTED. ALSO CONSIDERED ARE SUCH TRAINING ISSUES AS EQUAL OR DIFFERENTIAL TRAINING, INTEGRATED OR SEGREGATED TRAINING, THE VARIOUS APPROACHES TO PHYSICAL TRAINING, THE RELEVANCE OF FIELD TRAINING, THE NEED FOR SUPPLEMENTAL AND OPTIONAL TRAINING, THE RE-TRAINING OF VETERAN WOMEN POLICE OFFICERS, THE DESIRABILITY OF HAVING WOMEN IN POSITIONS OF AUTHORITY AND THE EFFECT OF INSTRUCTOR AND RECRUIT ATTITUDES. ISSUES OF PERFORMANCE, INCLUDING POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF A PERFORMANCE EVALUATION SYSTEM, PROBLEMS INVOLVED IN PERFORMANCE EVALUATION, RATING BIAS, DEALING WITH BIAS, FACTORS INVOLVING THE PERFORMANCE OF POLICEWOMEN, MORALE, REWARDS, AND SANCTIONS ARE ALSO EXPLORED. OTHER TOPICS DISCUSSED INCLUDE OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS, PROMOTIONS, RESISTANCE TO EMPLOYING POLICEWOMEN, AND PROGRAM EVALUATIONS OF WOMEN ON PAROLE. PERSONAL STATEMENTS ON THE PATROL EXPERIENCE BY SIX OFFICERS, A LEGAL ANALYSIS OF WOMEN IN POLICING, AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ON POLICEWOMEN ARE INCLUDED AS WELL.