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Women on the Move? A Report on the Status of Women in Policing

NCJ Number
117914
Author(s)
S E Martin
Date Published
1989
Length
10 pages
Annotation
A national mail survey of police personnel practices compared the status of women in police departments in 1978 and 1986.
Abstract
Questionnaires were sent to 446 municipal police departments serving populations of 50,000 or more and to all State police agencies. Of the municipal departments, 72 percent returned usable questionnaires. Survey data showed the number of female police officers increased from 1978 to 1986, the increase being greater in police departments of large cities. The proportion of women in supervisory positions grew between 1978 and 1986, but this increase was smaller than the increase in female police officers. No systematic sex discrimination in the police applicant selection process in 1986 was observed, but women had a higher turnover rate than males. Policy implications of the survey results are discussed. 17 references, 4 figures.