Officer Gender and Procedural Injustice: An Experimental Examination of Favorability Towards Women in Policing

Perceptions of policing are shaped by the subculture of hypermasculinity in law enforcement. Consequently, the behavior of women police officers may face increased public scrutiny. This study employs role congruity and procedural justice theories to experimentally assess the effects of procedurally un just treatment on favorability towards women police officers among a college-based sample ( N = 525). In general, female participants were significantly more favorable towards women in policing than males. However, female participants that experienced un just treatment from women officers were significantly less favorable towards women in policing. This illustrates the importance of centering procedurally just treatment in police-citizen encounters.