Women in policing in the United States
Female perspectives on policing
### Female perspectives on policing

One of the most prevalent debates in the feminist research is whether or not women bring different attitudes to police work. That is, do women approach their job as a police officer differently because of their identity as a woman? Studies have provided mixed evidence on this question.

In general, both male and female police officers view arrests as a measure of success in their roles as police officers and force as an indicator of performance. However, there are observed differences between how women approach their job \- namely, their tendency to value autonomy less in the streets and to use physical force and violence less during confrontations. Furthermore, women tend to be more responsive to victims, especially in cases of domestic dispute.

Those who claim that women bring a different perspective to policing draw on [Carol Gilligan](/wiki/Carol_Gilligan "Carol Gilligan")'s theory of gendered moral development. Gilligan distinguishes between two forms of morality: a morality of justice and a morality of care. The former she defines in terms of rules and rights; right and wrong are determined by whether or not they adhere to universal moral laws. Gilligan argues that men more often subscribe to this morality of justice. In contrast, women tend to subscribe to a morality of care, which is defined in terms of interpersonal relationships. According to this morality, what is right and wrong depends on what contributes most to a nurturing and protective relationship. Women may view their policing role as one that is intimately connected with service to a community, while men view their role as one primarily concerned with law enforcement. This may explain why women are more likely to be responsive to victims and take on the more emotional and social aspects of police work. However, this view is complicated by evidence showing that women in policing tend to prefer work spaces with more uniform rules and regulations. Furthermore, some studies have shown that women and men's attitudes towards policing tend to converge over time. What is less clear is whether women adopt masculine attitudes towards policing or vice versa.

Martin (1980\) has been cited throughout the literature on this topic with her distinction between a POLICEwoman and a policeWOMAN. While the latter permits her sexual identity to influence her own and others' perceptions of her role and performance as a police officer, the former actively strives to minimize the influence of her sexual identity. For example, a policeWOMAN may embrace her role as a more compassionate, relationship\-oriented officer, while a POLICEwoman may reject these roles and use male hostility as a motivation to fill roles not normally associated with female officers. Taking on these roles have both their advantages and disadvantages. While the policeWOMAN may be perceived as weak and incompetent, the POLICEwoman may be disparaged for rejecting their femininity and adopting "butch" characteristics.Galvin\-White Christine; O'Neal Eryn (2015\). "Lesbian Police Officers' Interpersonal Working Relationships and Sexuality Disclosure: A Qualitative Study" *Feminist Criminology.*

A recent study by Amie Schuck (2014\) has shown that in general, women are less likely to assimilate hypermasculine beliefs into their identities. Women are more likely to engage in what Schuck refers to as emotional labor, the "management of feelings in an effort to invoke a specific state of mind in another person." This kind of work might include interacting more empathetically towards citizens, which may explain Schuck's findings that women police officers are less likely to be subject to negative reports and complaints from citizens. However, Schuck cautions against reading too much into these findings, worrying that focusing on differences in how women and men view policing is a "slippery slope that will result in [essentialist thinking](/wiki/Essentialism "Essentialism") and prejudicial and discriminatory practices," such as relegating women solely to policing jobs that require more emotional labor. Yet she believes that acknowledging these differing perspectives remains important, especially when this acknowledgement might lead to police reform, such as more community\-based and empathetic policing.

It is important to note that despite the difference in experiences and perspectives that women may bring to policing, women have been shown to be just as capable as men in fulfilling their duties as police officers. Furthermore, studies have revealed that rather than shying away from the profession, women report higher job satisfaction than men in policing, suggesting that gender on its own does not negatively influence the participation of women in policing. Dantzker and Kubin (1998\) attribute this finding to the possibility that women find fulfillment in policing through more intrinsic rewards than objective factors \- such as pay \- which is more often perceived as a measure of success by men.Dantzker, M.L; Kubin, Betsy (1998\). "Job Satisfaction: The Gender Perspective among Police Officers." *American Journal of Criminal Justice.*

#### Women and the use of force

Women tend to use less force than men. They tend to go into situations with a more leveled head and be a little more patient when it comes to the apprehension of a criminal. Many departments are trying to hire more females to eliminate the use of excessive\-force in their departments for the good of their citizens and co\-workers.


What is Carol Gilligan's theory of gendered moral development?