Girls, Why Do You Want to Become Police Officers? Career Goals/Choices Among Criminal Justice Undergraduates

Influence of Gender on Perceptions of Barriers to a Police Patrol Career

“…There is much less research on how women perceive police employment and how that influences their interest in policing as a career. A notable exception, Yim’s (2009) aptly named article, “Girls, Why Do You Want to Become Police Officers,” summarized some of the challenges in determining the interest of potential female police recruits. We know that women are socialized to perceive themselves as less qualified for male-dominated careers (Lawless & Fox, 2005; Yim, 2009) and more oriented toward careers where they can help others (Raganella & White, 2004; Schneider et al., 2016).…”

“…A notable exception, Yim’s (2009) aptly named article, “Girls, Why Do You Want to Become Police Officers,” summarized some of the challenges in determining the interest of potential female police recruits. We know that women are socialized to perceive themselves as less qualified for male-dominated careers (Lawless & Fox, 2005; Yim, 2009) and more oriented toward careers where they can help others (Raganella & White, 2004; Schneider et al., 2016). Yim (2009) suggested this as a likely explanation for why female respondents generally rate women as less competent to do police work than men.…”

“…We know that women are socialized to perceive themselves as less qualified for male-dominated careers (Lawless & Fox, 2005; Yim, 2009) and more oriented toward careers where they can help others (Raganella & White, 2004; Schneider et al., 2016). Yim (2009) suggested this as a likely explanation for why female respondents generally rate women as less competent to do police work than men. These same results have been reported with male respondents.…”

“…Much of this research has pointed to disparate recruitment and hiring processes, such as physical fitness tests, academy and field training experiences, and discriminatory or outdated hiring practices (Chappell & Lanza-Kaduce, 2010; Cordner & Cordner, 2011; Kringen, 2014; Prokos & Padavic, 2002; Reaves, 2015; Schuck, 2014), along with rescinding or expiring consent decrees and other affirmative action initiatives that were more common in the 1970–1990s (Martin, 1991; Sass & Troyer, 1999; Sklansky, 2006). Alternatively, another explanation is that women may simply not be interested in police employment (Yim, 2009) or have been socialized to perceive themselves as less qualified for male-dominated careers (Lawless & Fox, 2005; Yim, 2009). Prior research indicates that socialization experiences orient women toward careers in which they can pursue “communal” or helping goals and avoid conflict (Raganella & White, 2004; Schneider et al., 2016).…”

Career prospects of undergraduate female students in the Nigeria Police Force

“…Gender stereotypes often influence policy-makers and police leadership in excusing the lack of women in the police by pointing to their helplessness in the face of a reluctance among women to come forward to join in large numbers (CHRI, 2015; Dodge et al, 2010). In a study of criminal justice undergraduates, Yim (2009) discovered that although the majority of students wished to work in law enforcement agencies, more men than women believed that they were qualified to be police officers. Similarly, a study by Omotayo et al (2013) on the impact of the glass ceiling on career advancement among female officers in the NPF, found that cultural beliefs regarding women were a major factor inhibiting female police officers’ career advancement in the organisation.…”