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Towards Equality: Women Police in India

NCJ Number
167943
Journal
Women & Criminal Justice Volume: 8 Issue: 2 Dated: (1996) Pages: 1-18
Author(s)
M Natarajan
Date Published
1996
Length
18 pages
Annotation
This article reviews the historical background and the current status of women police in India.
Abstract
The study which is the basis for this article used a survey questionnaire with 183 women officers from police departments in Tamil Nadu, one of India's 25 states. Data were collected on their personal characteristics, deployment status, career commitment, interests, role-expectations and their assessments of their capability in comparison with male officers in performing various police tasks. Descriptive analysis indicates the degree to which police agencies could expand career opportunities for women. Substantial numbers of women are deployed in the Indian police, although they appear to be confined to a largely peripheral role in dealing with women and juveniles and fulfilling some of the social functions of police work. The present findings indicate that a substantial number of women officers are highly career oriented and are interested in performing a wide range of police tasks. Women officers who prefer non-traditional assignments tend to have wider deployment experience and have undergone special training in the police force. Tables, figures, notes, references