NCJ Number
46269
Journal
SOCAL WORK Volume: 21 Issue: 4 Dated: (JULY 1976) Pages: 294-299
Date Published
1976
Length
6 pages
Annotation
THIS ARTICLE DISCUSSES THE ORIGIN AND GROWTH OF POLICE WOMEN'S BUREAUS, WHICH BECAME THE PROTOTYPES OF POLICE SOCIAL WORK; ANALYSES THE DECLINE OF POLICE SOCIAL WORK; AND RECOMMENDS COLLABORATION OF THESE TWO FORCES.
Abstract
POLICE DEPARTMENTS HAVE TRADITIONALLY BEEN CONCERNED WITH PROTECTIVE SERVICES FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN AND HAVE PROVIDED SOME SOCIAL SERVICES, PARTICULARLY FOR JUVENILES. A CRUCIAL STEP IN THE GRADUAL EVOLUTION OF THE POLICE SOCIAL WORKER MOVEMENT WAS THE ESTABLISHMENT, DURING THE SECOND AND THIRD DECADE OF THIS CENTURY, OF WOMEN'S BUREAUS WITHIN POLICE DEPARTMENTS. INITIALLY, THERE WAS STRONG OPPOSITION IN MOST DEPARTMENTS TO THE HIRING OF FEMALE OFFICERS, BUT OVERT OPPOSITION FADED, AND THE HIRING SPREAD. BETWEEN 1915 AND 1920, THE NUMBER OF POLICEWOMEN HAD INCREASED SUFFICIENTLY TO SUPPORT AN INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF POLICEWOMEN, BUT GROWTH WAS SLOW BECAUSE THE MOVEMENT WAS LIMITED TO LARGE URBAN AREAS. BY 1920, THE IDEA OF POLICEWOMEN SERVING IN SOCIAL WORK ADVOCACY ROLES, PARTICULARLY ON BEHALF OF JUVENILES, HAD BECOME FIRMLY ESTABLISHED. THE INCREASES IN THE NUMBER OF POLICEWOMEN WERE STEADY, FROM 509 IN 1930 NATIONWIDE TO 1,000 IN 1949. THEIR LEVEL OF EDUCATION WAS VERY HIGH; E.G., IN 1944, ALL 58 DETROIT POLICEWOMEN WERE COLLEGE EDUCATED. TWO CASE HISTORIES OF POLICEWOMEN'S INTERVENTION WITH RUNAWAY GIRLS ARE CITED. THE EMERGENCE OF POLICEWOMEN, HOWEVER, WAS FRAUGHT WITH CONTINUING PROBLEMS. POLICEWOMEN HAD TO CONTEND WITH PUBLICIZED MISCONCEPTIONS, SUCH AS NEWSPAPER CARICATURES, AND WITH MALE HOSTILITY OR CHAUVINISM FROM FELLOW OFFICERS. SOME OF THIS MALE CONTEMPT WAS DIRECTED AT ALL WOMEN OF THE PERIOD WHO CHOSE TO PURSUE CAREERS. OTHER OBSTACLES INCLUDED POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS, LACK OF CITIZEN SUPPORT, LACK OF FUNDING, LACK OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THESE DEVELOPMENTS WERE OFTEN A REFLECTION OF A LACK OF POLICE INTEREST IN SOCIAL WORK OBJECTIVES. IN RECENT YEARS, ONLY LIMITED USE HAS BEEN MADE OF COLLABORATION BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND SOCIAL WORK PROFESSIONALS IN THE UNITED STATES. THE HISTORY OF POLICE SOCIAL WORK SUPPORTS THE VIEW THAT SOCIAL WORKERS CAN BROADEN THE ROLE OF POLICE DEPARTMENTS AS HUMAN SERVICE AGENCIES, ESPECIALLY IN FAMILY CRISIS INTERVENTION. IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT POLICE GAIN A BASIC KNOWLEDGE OF CRISIS INTERVENTION STRATEGIES, AN AWARENESS OF APPROPRIATE REFERRAL SOURCES IN THE COMMUNITY, AND A SENSITIVITY TOWARD SOCIAL PROBLEMS FACED BY COMMUNITY RESIDENTS. TWO TYPES OF PROGRAMS ARE RECOMMENDED. CRISIS INTERVENTION TRAINING SHOULD BE PROVIDED TO ALL OFFICERS TO ENABLE THEM TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE IN HELPING NEEDY PEOPLE ENCOUNTER ON PATROL. THE OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS ENCOMPASSES THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL WORK TEAMS WITHIN POLICE DEPARTMENTS. SUCH TEAMS WOULD BE STAFFED BY EXPERIENCED SOCIAL WORKERS 24 HOURS A DAY TO SERVE AS A BACKUP RESOURCE FOR POLICE ON PATROL. NATIONAL AND STATEWIDE TRAINING MODELS AND RESEARCH GRANTS SHOULD BE GIVEN HIGH PRIORITY AND RECEIVE THE NECESSARY FINANCIAL SUPPORT. SCHOOLS OF SOCIAL WORK SHOULD BE ENLISTED IN THE EFFORT. (DJM)