Organizational Factors Associated with Female Officer Acceptance and Job Satisfaction

• In Event: Police and Community: The View from Both Directions

Abstract

Abstract: Studies examining the experiences of female police officers have generally found that female officers feel less accepted by male officers. Additionally, despite evidence that female officers perform just as well as male officers, female officers report feeling greater pressure to perform and more job-related stress. Most studies examining the experiences of female officers, however, have generally relied on single site studies or non-representative samples of female police officers. These studies have often failed to account for organizational characteristics that may play a role in how accepted female officers feel and their overall job satisfaction. Using data collected through the National Police Research Platform from police officers working in 101 different police agencies, this presentation explores the extent to which organizational factors impact female officer perceptions of acceptance within the organization and overall job satisfaction.

Authors

• Megan Alderden, Saint Xavier University

• Amy Farrell, Northeastern University

• Dennis Rosenbaum, University of Illinois at Chicago