WOMEN IN COURT ADMINISTRATION (FROM WOMEN IN THE COURTS, 1978, BY WINIFRED L HEPPERLE AND LAURA CRITES - SEE NCJ-48844)

• NCJ Number: 48847
• Author(s): W L HEPPERLE; J L HENDRYX
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 8 pages
• Corporate Author: National Ctr for State Courts
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A SURVEY CONDUCTED BY THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR STATE COURTS, IDENTIFYING VARIATIONS BETWEEN STATUS AND ROLES OF COURT ADMINISTRATORS ACCORDING TO SEX, IS DESCRIBED.

Abstract

QUESTIONNAIRES WERE DISTRIBUTED RANDOMLY TO 206 COURT ADMINISTRATORS, MALE AND FEMALE, WHOSE NAMES WERE TAKEN FROM MEMBERSHIP LISTS OF THE CONFERENCE OF STATE COURT ADMINISTRATORS, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF TRIAL COURT ADMINISTRATORS, AND NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF APPELLATE COURT CLERKS. AREAS EXPLORED WERE: (1) PERCEPTIONS OF FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO POSITION APPOINTMENT AND ADVANCEMENT; (2) IDENTIFICATION OF RESISTANCE TO PLACING WOMEN IN TOP ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS; AND (3) THE EFFECTS OF THE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT ON THIS RESISTANCE AND ON THE ADMINISTRATORS. EIGHTY-ONE RESPONSES WERE RECEIVED, ALTHOUGH THIRTEEN OF THE RESPONDENTS HAD JOB TITLES THAT COULD NOT BE DEFINED AS TOP-LEVEL ADMINISTRATION. PERSONAL AND OCCUPATION HISTORY DATA SHOWED THAT FEMALE RESPONDENTS WERE SLIGHTLY YOUNGER THAN MALES, THAT BOTH SEXES HAD SIMILAR EDUCATION LEVELS, AND THAT EMPLOYMENT BACKGROUND VARIED SIGNIFICANTLY (3 PERCENT OF THE MEN HAD HELD SECRETARIAL POSITIONS AS COMPARED TO 30 PERCENT OF THE WOMEN, WHILE 3 PERCENT OF THE WOMEN HAD HELD ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS AS COMPARED TO 27 PERCENT OF THE MEN.) THE LARGE MAJORITY OF WOMEN AND MEN RESPONDED 'NO' WHEN ASKED WHETHER COURT ADMINISTRATION HAD BEEN THEIR CAREER GOAL, ALTHOUGH 50 PERCENT OF THE WOMEN AND 54 PERCENT OF THE MEN WERE SATISFIED WITH THEIR POSITIONS. BOTH GROUPS INDICATED THAT DISCRIMINATION DID NOT AFFECT APPOINTMENT TO THEIR POSITIONS. REGARDING ON-THE-JOB TREATMENT, SALARY, AND TITLE, BOTH SEXES INDICATED THAT THERE WAS NO DISPARITY. MEN AND WOMEN ADMINISTRATORS NOTICED A SLIGHT TENDENCY BY MALE JUDGES TO EMPLOY WOMEN AS COURT ADMINISTRATORS, ALTHOUGH THEY BELIEVED THIS TENDENCY WAS DECREASING. A MAJORITY OF WOMEN AND MEN RESPONDENTS VIEWED THE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT AS HELPFUL IN REDUCING RESISTANCE TO WOMEN IN HIGH POSITIONS, BUT WOMEN REPORTED NO OBVIOUS ASSISTANCE TO THEMSELVES PERSONALLY. TABLES ARE PROVIDED, AND THE QUESTIONNAIRE FORM IS PRESENTED IN AN APPENDIX. (DAG)