I am writing my paper on police double standard. It came to my attention that when police are in the media, they are portrayed as the bad guy. I asked myself if that is the case, or is that the media perception. The police are in a position to protect and serve the community. The community should feel nothing but security and trust towards a police officer right? I am also aware that the media can also mislead and also contribute to the community feeling negative towards the cops. Very rarely do you see a cop doing an act of kindness, and that footage blowing up in the media.
I am writing about double standard, depending in the cops of course, will single out blacks and Hispanics, according to numerous media footage. Also you hear of
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In 1985, we had the first women chief of police. And in 2000, compromised 13 percent of all officers. (http://womenandpolicing.org/history/index.asp)
The dates were cited to show the progress that women have accomplished through the eras. It has been a rocky road for our colleagues. Regardless of our accomplishments we only make a small percentage of the police department. The reasons are not written but rather just carried throughout the years. Many women have to excel higher than male counterparts just to be considered good enough. In Riverside County, there is an effort to hire more women and a very small part make it through. Mostly in the fitness test, fail. Women that are hired, are inevitably resented by their male colleagues and many are harassed. In the workforce, women encounter what is called a “glass ceiling”, which is a term to identify what many women feel oppressed to go for a higher position, as they dread their male counterparts opinions.
Women have always had obstacles and I feel that it’s a shame, because women can be a great attribute. In my opinion women are less likely to use excessive force, last longer and will in the long run invest more with the community because they are more prone to listen.
Minorities
Minorities are also prone to the double standard. In 2008, blacks were more likely than white and Hispanics to experience use of force. An estimated 84% who experienced use of force reported that the police acted
“But policewoman’s presence was still not wholly welcome, they were there because chiefs succumbed to pressure from outside reform groups, not because male administrators or officers saw any need for them. Policewomen’s allies remained other male and female social workers, progressives, clubwomen, and other reformers.” (Miller, 1999)
In recent years, recruitment and retention of police officers has been a pain point for many departments across the nation. Odd and inflexible hours, uncompetitive pay, para-militaristic organizational structures, and a negative public perception have all worked to diminish the pool of applicants interested in careers in law enforcement. Add to the mix the sexist “brotherhood” police culture, emphasis on masculinity and aggression, and the nearly non-existent opportunities for advancement for women, and over half of the eligible workforce has been discouraged from even considering a career in law enforcement. In 2013, women comprised just over 57% of the labor force, but accounted for only 13% of sworn police officers (USDOL, 2013; Crooke, 2013). Not only are women sorely underrepresented in the field of law enforcement, but those who are employed experience discrimination at the hands of their supervisors and coworkers, and as a result, the attrition rate for women is often much higher than that of their male counterparts. Departments should pledge dedication to recruiting and retaining more female officers, as research indicates that not only do females perform just as well as males in patrol positions, but they also have a unique set of advantages to offer agencies when employed in law enforcement. In order to improve the recruitment and retention of females into policing roles, departments must determine the biggest deterrents for women who are considering the pursuit
Not more than two years ago, I listened to three minority female officers conversing on the difficulties of being a female officer. Though women have been accepted into police force, it has been a very slow and difficult process. What follows is a brief chronology of their struggle to become assimilated into and become an important part NYC’s “finest” – the N.Y.P.D.
To begin, when it comes to officers pulling over victims, they pull over more black and Hispanic Americans than they do Caucasians.
Being a female in law enforcement can be challenging at times but however the reward will outweigh the risk. What exactly does happen when females join in “the biggest boys club in America”? Sandra K. Wells and Betty L. Alt are the authors of Police Women Life With A Badge where they discuss the struggles of female police officers seeking to reach top ranking positions; their efforts can be identified as failure, success, politics, and fair play. This book not only presents the struggles of the current problems as a female police officer but past problems as well. Wells and Alt provide a brief history of females in law enforcement through the eyes of female officers. This book outlines where women started in the criminal justice system to where
Every day, people are searched and questioned based on race alone. In fact, African American motorists were more than 2.5 times as likely as Whites to be searched by police and Hispanics more than double the rate (Durose, Smith, & Langan, 2007). Also state in a two-year study of 13,566 officer-initiated traffic stops in a Midwestern city, Minority drivers were stopped at a higher rate than whites and more like to search for contraband than whites (Leinfelt 2006). The racially discriminated often face biases in the law and according to Baldus & Woodworth in 2004, a case with White victims are considerably more likely to receive a death sentence compared to Black victims. Not only do they face biases in sentencing but, A Office of Justice Systems Analysis in 1995 concluded, Minorities charged with felonies were more likely to be detained than their white counterpart. Minorities were detained 10 percent more in New York City, and shockingly 33 percent more in other parts of the state. These statistics speak for themselves, and must be dealt with.
There have been many triumphs throughout history to make it possible for women to strive in the law enforcement profession. However, even though when the police agencies go out of their way to target woman and have better recruitment efforts, job openings, and compensation packages for them, it still seems not enough. The number of woman entering in the field of law enforcement has not increased (Walker, 2013).
Despite changes in time, society, for the most part, men has viewed law enforcement as the male rule profession.Today women are continuing to experience discrimination and prejudice in law enforcement. The outdated image that male officers are better than women is ridiculous. For years and still now, men feel women are weak, passive, physical unable, unable to gain respect and think women should work behind a desk not in the field. Men feel like they are the protector, not women. Men also feel women can not balance family and a career.Over the years women Because of the numberless external and internal barriers women in the law enforcement agencies are advancing quite slow. I feel women are not represent properly; because, society see male
media group in 2013. When teenage boys in Auckland posted videos of themselves for all to see, as smug power brokers in their ability to bully young girls into sex, they became known as the ‘Roast Busters’. The scandal highlighted why police handling and media coverage of these crimes is so vital, and why their response to the RoastBusters scandal was so horrendous. The resulting public perception of the police force, our current rape laws, and the implications for our justice system today are anything but appealing.
Not only are female police officers proven to be equally as competent their male counterparts; there are some areas of policing where female officers possess even better skills (Peak, 2015). Some of those areas include using better communication skills, neutralizing and decreasing possible violent confrontations, gaining cooperation and trust from citizens, they are less likely to be involved in excessive force incidents and respond empathetically to domestic violence against women (National Center for Women & Policing, 2001). One way the impact and influence of the inclusion of women in law enforcement is that it reduces the rising cost of police brutality lawsuits involving excessive force; costing tax payers millions of dollars every year
Americans think that they have come a long way since a gap of equality between men and women existed. Because of this progress, many people make the assumption that there is no inequality left in the United States and women have the same opportunities as men. Yes, it is true that the American society has come from one of inequality to that one that is more equal. Yes Americans have come a long way, but unfortunately women are still not equal to their male counterparts. This inequality towards women is evident within several different aspects in life, ranging from politics, gender roles, marriage, society as a whole and, especially, women in the Police Force. The history of women in the criminal justice system as police officers has been
Law enforcement has become a more popular career path for women in recent years. Although there has been growth, it has not been significant. In 2001 it has been reported that women account for 12.7% of all law enforcement positions.This number has grown minimally from the 9% that made up all of the female sworn officers in 1990. There are several factors for why women don’t work for the New York Police Department at a more rapid pace. These factors include Patrolmen creating too much of a macho culture and historical discrimination.
The Indianapolis Police Department became the first department to appoint two female police officers, Elizabeth Robinson and Betty Blankenship, to the patrol unit in 1968. (Gerber, 2001, pg.18). This turning point in history, helped pave the way for women in law enforcement. Women were finally able to step out of their long established roles as matrons and social workers and were able to prove their worth as credible police officers. Nevertheless, there were still many obstacles confronting women in policing.
Women have made major progress compared to where they were a hundred years ago. Women once did not work outside the home, now they are right up there with men in the jobs category. Most thought that to be a police officer you had to be a male because they are stronger and show less weakness, but overtime woman fought back to be allowed in the force. The first woman to become an officer was in 1905. In 1968, the first women police officer on patrol. In 2000 women made their biggest mark on the police system and made up to 13 percent of all police officers. Although they have come such a far way to get equal rights and get jobs, the
The Role of Women in Law Enforcement in 1995. In this book, Heidensohn concentrates on comparing the points of view of women in policing in the United States, compared to those in Britain. She made it a point to show the reading audience how important it is to have a positive view of having women in the police force, as well as implied that we should look at Britain as a role model. As she says, ."..as compared with British policing: optimism. Almost everywhere I went, there was a great deal of confidence about women's role in policing." She continues to explain how, although slowly changing, it is necessary for us as Americans to increase our acceptance of women police. The longer we wait to do something about this problem, the longer it is going to last. Frances Heidensohn also questions the thought of women in control. The title of her book has a question mark because, as she explains, "The title of this book is a question. It was with this question and related ones in mind that I first began this project. Were women now more involved in social control? If they were did this make a difference either to them or to the agencies which employed them?" As she illustrates, it is hard to configure whether or not women are in control today. If there needs to be a question asked, then the probability is most likely an answer with "no." If women were in control, there would not be any hesitation to answer the question, which is what Heidensohn is