Minorities in the Police Academy: Career Expectations of Female Police Cadets

Abstract

This study investigates the career expectations of female police cadets within the specific framework of the Chinese police academy system. Focused on their self-perceptions, this research aims to fill a gap in the literature concerning the experiences of female cadets during their training phase. Employing a qualitative approach, the study conducted focus group discussions with 56 female police cadets from diverse specializations and geographic regions. The findings indicate that, despite being a minority within the police academy, female cadets generally respond positively to the training and management strategies. The study reveals a notable shift in identity, with female cadets prioritizing their “police” identity over gender considerations. Additionally, concerns about career placement, competition, and societal expectations emerged, influencing their outlooks on future employment. This research contributes valuable insights into the complex interplay of gender dynamics and career expectations within the police academy context. The methodology and findings offer a foundation for further exploration of gender-related issues in law enforcement education, with implications extending beyond the borders of China.

Keywords:

• Female police cadets
• identity shift
• police education
• training and management: career expectations

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Police cadets were required to follow internal regulations for their daily lives, i.e., paramilitary-like housekeeping requirements. For example, light-out times and hair length are mandated.

2 This refers also to the military-like management system, where police cadets cannot leave the police academy at will and need to apply and receive approval in advance.

3 While the study includes first and second-year cadets, it is important to recognize that the four-year training program at the police academy equips cadets with progressively complex skills and insights. Although these younger cadets have not completed the entire training program, their evolving experiences, when analyzed alongside those of more senior cadets, can still contribute valuable perspectives on the career development trajectories within the academy. This approach allows for a broader analysis of how training impacts career development from entry to the advanced stages of their education.

4 This refers to female police cadets being cognizant of their career development paths and consciously realizing their career expectations.

5 This refers to the fact that the sample was selected to be close to the daily distribution of female police cadets in the police academy, which includes grade level, major, and birthplace.

6 The word “perspective” here and hereafter represents the perspective of the female police cadets themselves or is intended to refer specifically to the perspective discussed in the paragraph.

7 It should be noted that “I excelled” in this case represents the personal opinion of the female police cadet and does not represent the experience of all participants.

Additional information

Funding

This research Supported by Chongqing Municipal Education Commission (Grant No. 24SKJD012, Project: A research on the psychological mechanism of individual extreme violent crime among drug addicts in Chongqing Municipality); and this research Supported by Scientific and Technological Research Program of Chongqing Municipal Education Commission (Project: Risk prediction modeling of extreme violent crime in the context of mega-city governance).