Helping or Enforcing? Service, Security, and Occupational Identity in Female Criminal Justice Students’ Intent to Enter Law Enforcement

Sherah L.  Basham; Ashley T.  French; Bethany  Bray; Jennifer  Mitsch; Anovia  Slaughter

doi:10.6000/1929-4409.2026.15.12

Authors

Sherah L. Basham Tennessee Safety Net Research Consortium, Social Work Office of Research & Public Service, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
Ashley T. French Department of Emergency Management, Homeland Security, and Criminal Justice, College of Safety and Emergency Services, Columbia Southern University, Orange Beach, Alabama, USA
Bethany Bray University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Jennifer Mitsch City of Cincinnati Police Department, Criminal Investigations Section, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Anovia Slaughter Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, Arizona, USA

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6000/1929-4409.2026.15.12

Keywords:

Women in policing, criminal justice education, law enforcement, gender and policing

Abstract

Women remain significantly underrepresented in law enforcement, comprising less than 14% of sworn officers in the United States despite decades of recruitment initiatives. Understanding what motivates or deters female criminal justice students from pursuing law enforcement careers is fundamental for addressing this persistent gap. This study examines the factors influencing female criminal justice students' intent to pursue a law enforcement career, using survey data collected from 292 female students enrolled in criminal justice programs across the United States in 2020. Using exploratory factor analysis, three motivational scales were constructed: pay and security, service orientation, and occupational identity. Binary logistic regression results indicate that occupational identity, characterized by tangible policing symbols such as carrying a weapon and wearing a uniform, was the strongest positive predictor of intent to pursue a career in law enforcement. Conversely, both service-oriented and pay-and-security motivations were associated with lower odds of pursuing a career in law enforcement. Except for a marginal association for the smallest racial subgroup, demographic factors (age, marital status, child status, and political affiliation) were not significant predictors. Findings are discussed in relation to the gendered construction of law enforcement identity, the service motivation paradox, and their implications for recruitment policy.

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