Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Job satisfaction: The gender perspective among police officers

  • Articles
  • Published:
American Journal of Criminal Justice Aims and scope Submit manuscript

An Erratum to this article was published on 01 March 1999

Abstract

Although women constitute more than 50% of the United States’ population, their percentage among police officers is approximately 9%. Despite being relatively new to policing as fully accepted officers, their growth in numbers should be higher. Nevertheless, such growth may be stagnant. The reasons for this phenomenon are still under examination, and any research that can shed light on this quandary is useful. This article examines job satisfaction among police officers and whether there is a difference by gender. The belief is that if job satisfaction among women police officers is low, this could reflect why more women are not entering law enforcement. However, the data analyzed from a purposive sample of 2,309 male and 309 female officers suggest that there is little difference in job satisfaction solely by gender.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Balkin, J. (1988). Why policemen don’t like policewomen.Journal of Police Science and Administration, 16(1), 29–38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bloch, P., & Anderson, D. (1974).Policewomen on patrol. Washington, DC: Police Foundation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dantzker, M. L. (1993a). Designing a measure of job satisfaction for policing.Journal of Crime and Justice, XVI(2), 171–181.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dantzker, M. L. (1993b). An issue for policing—educational level and job satisfaction: A research note.American Journal of Police, XII(2), 101–118.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dantzker, M. L. (1994a). Measuring job satisfaction in police departments and policy implications: An examination of a mid-sized, Southern police department.American Journal of Police, XIII(2), 77–101.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dantzker, M. L. (1994b). Identifying determinants of job satisfaction among police officers.Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology, 10(1), 47–56.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dantzker, M. L. (1995). Higher education and policing: Its effect on the perception of job satisfaction among police officers. In N. Ali-Jackson (Ed.),Contemporary issues in criminal justice: Shaping tomorrow’s systems (pp. 104–122). New York: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dantzker, M. L. (1997). Job satisfaction and community policing: A preview for future research?Police Chief, LXIV(10), 97–101.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dantzker, M. L., & Surrette, M. A. (1996). Perceived levels of job satisfaction among police officers: A descriptive review.Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology, 11(2), 7–12.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Feldberg, R. L., & Glenn, E. N. (1979). Male and female job versus gender model in the sociology of work.Social Problems, 26(5), 524–537.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Felkenes, G. T. (1991). Affirmative action in the Los Angeles Police Department.Criminal Justice Research, 6(4), 1–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fry, L., & Greensfield, S. (1980). An examination of attitudinal differences between policewomen and policemen.Journal of Applied Psychology, 65, 123–126.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Herzberg, F., Mausner, B., Peterson, R. A., & Capwell, D. F.(1957).Job attitudes review of research and opinions. Pittsburgh, PA: Psychological Services of Pittsburgh.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hodson, R. (1989). Gender differences in job satisfaction: Why aren’t women more dissatisfied?Sociological Quarterly, 30(3), 385–399.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Horne, P. (1980).Women in law enforcement. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hulin, C., & Smith, P. C. (1965). Sex differences in job satisfaction.Journal of Applied Psychology, 49, 209–216.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jones, S. (1986).Policewomen and equality: Formal practice informal practice? London: Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lunneburg, P. W. (1989).Women police officers: Current career profile. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mannheim, B. (1983). Men and women industrial workers: Job satisfaction, work role centrality, and work place preference.Work and Occupational Roles, 10, 413–436.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martin, S. E. (1979).Policewomen and policewomen: Occupational role dilemmas and choices of female officers.Journal of Police Science and Administration, 7, 314–323.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin, S. E. (1989). Female officers on the move? A status report of women in policing. In R. Dunham & G. Alpert (Eds.),Critical issues in policing. Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin, S. E. (1991). The effectiveness of affirmative action: The case of women in policing.Justice Quarterly, 8(4), 489–504.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muchinsky, P. M. (1993).Psychology applied to work. (4th ed.). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.

    Google Scholar 

  • Perlstein, G. R. (1972). Policewomen and policemen: A comparative look.Police Chief, 39(4), 72–74, 83.

    Google Scholar 

  • Phelan, J. (1994). The paradox of the contented female worker: An alternative explanation.Social Psychology Quarterly, 57(2), 95–107.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sanders, B., Hughes, T., & Langworthy, R. (1995). Police officer recruitment and selection: A survey of major police departments in the U.S.Police Forum, 5(4), 1–4.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seagram, B. C., & Stark-Adamec, C. (1992). Women in Canadian policing: Why are they leaving?Police Chief, 59, 120–128.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seashore, S. E., & Taber, T. D. (1975). Job satisfaction indicators and their correlates.American Behavioral Scientist, 18(3), 333–368.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sherman, L. J. (1975). Evaluation of policewomen on patrol in a suburban police department.Journal of Police Science and Administration, 3, 434–438.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sichel, J. L., Friedman, L. N., Quint, J. C., & Smith, M. C. (1978).Women on patrol: A pilot study of police performance in New York City. New York: Vera Institute of Justice.

    Google Scholar 

  • Singer, M. S., & Love, K. (1988). Gender differences in self-perception of occupational efficacy: A study of law enforcement officers.Journal of Social Behavior and Personality, 3(1), 63–74.

    Google Scholar 

  • Timmins, W. M., & Hainsworth, B. E. (1989). Attracting and retaining females in law enforcement: Sex-based problems of women cops in 1988.International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 33, 197–205.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weaver, C. N. (1980). Job satisfaction in the United States in the 1970’s.Journal of Applied Psychology, 65, 364–367.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weisheit, R. A. (1987). Women in the state police: Concerns of male and female officers.Journal of Police Science and Administration, 15(2), 137–144.

    Google Scholar 

  • Worden, A. P. (1993). The attitudes of women and men in policing: Testing conventional and contemporary wisdom.Criminology, 31(2), 203–241.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Defense Contract Management Commission, USA

    M. L. Dantzker & Betsy Kubin

Authors
  1. M. L. Dantzker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Betsy Kubin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

An erratum to this article is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02887279.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Dantzker, M.L., Kubin, B. Job satisfaction: The gender perspective among police officers. AJCJ 23, 19–31 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02887282

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02887282

Keywords

Search

Navigation