Voices of Resilience: Women in Law Enforcement Navigating Bias and Barriers
Disciplines
Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Ethnicity in Communication | Law Enforcement and Corrections
Abstract (300 words maximum)
In the male-dominated field of law enforcement, where women make up approximately 13% of law enforcement in the United States, underrepresentation poses significant challenges. While working in law enforcement requires resilience regardless of gender, research indicates that women, especially when underrepresented in the workplace, are prone to encounter additional challenges that demand resilience too. This study will explore prevalent issues that uniquely or disproportionately impact female officers and explore coping mechanisms employed by female officers to process the impact of these challenges. This study also aims to identify how departments can better accommodate the women in their workplace. To conduct this research, police departments were randomly selected and contacted via email. Police administration then distributed a comprehensive 32-question survey to sworn female officers, including open-ended questions addressing issues specific to women in law enforcement. A total of 75 responses were analyzed using affective coding techniques. Participants described how they encountered and coped with issues such as gender discrimination, stereotyping, exclusion from informal networks, lack of mentorship, stigma associated with motherhood, barriers to assimilation, and limited opportunities for career advancement. Participants also recommended potential resources or policy improvements they believe would help them address these challenges effectively. By uncovering and addressing barriers hindering the advancement and overall well-being of female officers, this research holds significant potential to inform initiatives aimed at improving the retention of women in law enforcement. Additionally, recognizing the coping strategies used by female officers can shed light on aspects of organizational culture that may hinder effective coping. Furthermore, by identifying potential resources, programs, or policy that would be most beneficial to participants, this study holds the potential to offer recommendations for policy improvements and resource allocation.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
RCHSS - Sociology & Criminal Justice
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Robin Mathis
Voices of Resilience: Women in Law Enforcement Navigating Bias and Barriers
In the male-dominated field of law enforcement, where women make up approximately 13% of law enforcement in the United States, underrepresentation poses significant challenges. While working in law enforcement requires resilience regardless of gender, research indicates that women, especially when underrepresented in the workplace, are prone to encounter additional challenges that demand resilience too. This study will explore prevalent issues that uniquely or disproportionately impact female officers and explore coping mechanisms employed by female officers to process the impact of these challenges. This study also aims to identify how departments can better accommodate the women in their workplace. To conduct this research, police departments were randomly selected and contacted via email. Police administration then distributed a comprehensive 32-question survey to sworn female officers, including open-ended questions addressing issues specific to women in law enforcement. A total of 75 responses were analyzed using affective coding techniques. Participants described how they encountered and coped with issues such as gender discrimination, stereotyping, exclusion from informal networks, lack of mentorship, stigma associated with motherhood, barriers to assimilation, and limited opportunities for career advancement. Participants also recommended potential resources or policy improvements they believe would help them address these challenges effectively. By uncovering and addressing barriers hindering the advancement and overall well-being of female officers, this research holds significant potential to inform initiatives aimed at improving the retention of women in law enforcement. Additionally, recognizing the coping strategies used by female officers can shed light on aspects of organizational culture that may hinder effective coping. Furthermore, by identifying potential resources, programs, or policy that would be most beneficial to participants, this study holds the potential to offer recommendations for policy improvements and resource allocation.