What are the barriers to recruitment for women in law enforcement?
Amber Kerwin, professor of the practice of criminal justice at Hartwick College, looks into this question.
Faculty Bio:
Amber M. Kerwin is a professor of practice of criminal justice in the Sociology, Criminology & Social Services Department in the Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Hartwick College in Oneonta, New York.
A former police officer and investigator, Kerwin’s areas of expertise include criminal justice, corrections, juvenile delinquency, policing, and police investigations. Among her recent courses taught: Introduction to Criminal Justice; Corrections & Punishment; Policing in a Democratic Society; and Introduction to Law.
Her latest research, supported in part through the Hartwick College Faculty Research Grant Program, focuses on the barriers to recruitment and hiring of women in law enforcement.
Transcript:
Women police officers bring many positive benefits to their jobs in law enforcement. Studies have shown that women are better communicators, that they’re less likely to use physical force, and that victims of certain crimes feel more comfortable talking to them.
Still, women make up a small percentage of law enforcement. Only 12 to 13 percent of total law enforcement officers in the United States currently are women. As a former police officer and investigator, I am interested in understanding why this is the case.
My research focuses on the barriers to recruitment and hiring of women in law enforcement. It is important to me to identify, explore and better understand what prevents women from joining the police department or pursuing law-enforcement careers--and also understanding what makes it so hard to retain them.
Through interviews with women who currently or previously worked in law enforcement, my research looks at the challenges they encounter in what remains an historically male-dominated profession. Lack of maternity- and family-related leave policies, uniforms not specifically designed for women, lack of acceptance, and harassment are all among the issues women have expressed in these conversations.
Taking a closer look at the situation to gain more perspective will provide information to develop potential policy recommendations for police departments. This could help them create a more welcoming environment for women so they’re more comfortable working there.
Right now, young girls and women don’t see a lot of other women in law enforcement so it’s not something that they have on their radar. A solution for that would be having more women officers do outreach to high schoolers or college students to do a more targeted recruitment effort for women.
As communities across the country consider new options, this research will shed new light on the barriers to recruitment of women in law enforcement.
