Women in Control? The Role of Women in Law Enforcement

How far have women progressed in the "unfeminine" career of policing? How far do they want to go? How far will their male colleagues and the public let them? Women in Control? breaks new ground by discussing the role of women in relation to controlling crime and disorder. Women have struggled to gain influence in policing, progressing only slowly until the 1970s, when equal opportunities legislation brought integration and some measure of success. Based on a series of interviews with British and U.S. officers, this work examines their experiences in dealing with crime, vice, and everyday incidents--including hostility and harassment by their male colleagues. It highlights the role of women in law enforcement in Great Britain and the United States and the importance of gender in social control.

Frances Heidensohn, Professor of Social Science and Administration, Goldsmiths' College, University of London