Through an analysis of data from one large Midwestern municipal police agency, this study examined some of the issues affecting the promotion of female police officers. Specifically, the issues examined are those influencing the decision about whether to enter the promotional process and, once a decision is made to enter the process, those factors influencing women during the process. Within the agency under study, the rate of promotion for females still lags behind that for males. The study found that personal ‘choices' constrained by impediments from both within and outside the organisation contributed to the lack of parity. Based on these findings, suggestions are made for strategies to increase the numbers of women, relative to men, in supervisory and managerial positions.
AstinH. (1984) ‘The meaning of work in women's lives: A socio-psychological model of career choice and work behavior’, Counseling Psychologist, Vol. 12, pp. 117–126.
2.
BaylinL. (1993) ‘Breaking the mold’, Free Press, New York.
3.
BelknapJ. (1996), ‘The invisible woman: Gender, crime and justice’, Wadsworth, Belmont, CA.
4.
BelknapJ.ShellyJ. K. (1993) ‘The new lone ranger: Police women on patrol’, American Journal of Police, Vol. 12, No. 2, pp. 47–75.
5.
BennettR. R. (1984) ‘Becoming blue: A longitudinal study of police recruit occupational socialization’, Journal of Police Science and Administration, Vol. 12, pp. 47–58.
6.
DavisJ. A. (1984) ‘Perceptions of policewomen in Texas and Oklahoma’, Journal of Police Science and Administration, Vol. 12, pp. 395–403.
7.
FelkenesG. T.SchroedelJ. R. (1993) ‘A case study of minority women in policing’, Women and Criminal Justice, Vol. 4, pp. 65–89.
8.
LanierM. M. (1996) ‘An evolutionary typology of women police officers’, Women and Criminal Justice, Vol. 8, No. 2, pp. 73–89.
9.
MartinC. (1996) ‘The impact of equal opportunities policies on the day-to-day experiences of women police constables’, British Journal of Criminology, Vol. 36, No. 4, pp. 510–528.
10.
MartinS. E. (1994) ‘“Outside within” the station house: The impact of race and gender on black women police’, Social Problems, Vol. 41, No. 3, pp. 383–400.
11.
MartinS. E. (1991) ‘The effectiveness of affirmative action: The case of women in policing’, Justice Quarterly, Vol. 8, pp. 489–504.
12.
MartinS. E. (1980) ‘“Breaking and entering”: Policewomen on patrol’, University of California Press, Berkeley.
13.
MartinS. E.JurikN. C. (1996) ‘Doing justice doing gender: Women in law criminal justice occupations’, Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA.
14.
MorashM.HaarrR. N. (1995) ‘Gender, workplace problems, and stress in policing’, Justice Quarterly, Vol. 12, pp. 113–140.
15.
MoyerI. L. (1992) ‘The changing roles of women in the criminal justice system: Offenders, victims and professionals’, 2nd edn, Waveland, Prospect Heights, IL.
16.
PooleE. D.PogrebinM. R. (1988) ‘Factors affecting the decision to remain in policing: A study of women officers’, Journal of Police Science and Administration, Vol. 16, No. 1, pp. 49–55.
17.
PottsL. W. (1983) ‘Equal employment opportunity and female employment in police agencies’, Journal of Criminal Justice, Vol. 11, pp. 505–523.
18.
PoulosT. M.DoernerW. G. (1996) ‘Women in law enforcement: The distribution of females in Florida police agencies’, Women and Criminal Justice, Vol. 8, No. 2, pp. 19–33.
19.
PrenzlerT. (1995) ‘Equal employment opportunity and police women in Australia’, Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology, Vol. 28, No. 3, pp. 258–277.
20.
RosenerJ. B. (1995) ‘America's competitive secret: Women managers’, Oxford University Press, New York.
21.
SchulzD. M. (1993) ‘From policewoman to police officer: An unfinished revolution’, Police Studies, Vol. 6, pp. 90–98.
22.
SeagramB. C.StarkA. C. (1992) ‘Women in Canadian urban policing: Why are they leaving?’, Police Chief, Vol. 59, No. 10, pp. 120–128.
23.
SultonC.TownseyR. (1981) ‘A progress report on women in policing’, Police Foundation, Washington, DC.
24.
WexlerJ. G.QuinnV. (1985) ‘Considerations in the training and development of women sergeants’, Journal of Police Science and Administration, Vol. 13, pp. 98–105.
25.
WordenA. P. (1993) ‘Trade attitudes of women and men in policing: Testing conventional and contemporary wisdom’, Criminology, Vol. 31, pp. 203–241.
