Women in Blue: 16 Brave Officers, Forensics Experts, Police Chiefs, and More

by Cheryl Mullenbach

Overview

A Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People 2017

They were called sleuths in skirts, guardian mothers, copettes, and police in petticoats. It would be a long time—well over 150 years—before women in law enforcement were known simply as police officers.

Balancing the stories of trailblazers from the past with those of today’s dedicated officers, chiefs, FBI agents, and forensics experts, this collection of riveting biographies traces the evolution of women in policing. Women in Blue inspires readers to value those who broke through barriers—often enduring ridicule and discrimination as they fought for equality—while original interviews shed light on the daily challenges, rewards, and life on the job of various women currently in the trenches of law enforcement. The chronological progression puts hot-button issues like police brutality, race relations, and the treatment of suspects and prisoners into historic context and shows how many women in law enforcement are working to challenge and improve their field.

This rich, authoritative history is packed with colorful anecdotes, excerpts from primary sources, and sidebars on related topics and includes photos, a bibliography, source notes, and a list of organizations interested teens can explore to learn more about the world of law enforcement, making it an indispensable resource for aspiring sleuths, officers, agents, crime scene investigators, and more.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781613734223
Publisher:	Chicago Review Press, Incorporated
Publication date:	05/01/2016
Series:	Women of Action Series , #16
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.50(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

Cheryl Mullenbach is the author of The Industrial Revolution for Kids, winner of the 2015 International Literacy Association Award for Intermediate Nonfiction, The Great Depression for Kids, and Double Victory. She is a former history teacher, librarian, public television project manager, and social studies consultant. She lives in Panora, IA.

Table of Contents

Author's Note ix

Introduction 1

Part I Breaking into Jail: The Early Matrons 5

Defying Denver's Powerful Sadie Likens 8

City Mother Aletha Gilbert 18

Part II "Copettes" No Longer: Policewomen 29

Saving Face Isabella Goodwin 32

Breaking Color Lines Grace Wilson 44

No Career for a Lady Mary Sullivan 55

Part III The Difference a Word Can Make: Police Officers 69

A Love Story Moira Smith 72

Changing Course Julia Grimes 82

Part IV All Hail: Police Chiefs 97

A Woman with a Beautiful Soul Rhoda Milliken 99

A Relentless Pioneer Penny Harrington 111

An Impassable Woman Jody Kasper 122

Part V Getting into Government: Federal Agents 133

Using Psychology to Catch Criminals Rosanne Russo 135

FBI Mother-Daughter Special Agents Ethel Mario McGuire 145

Part VI Majority Rules: Police Scientists 159

Turning Crime Scenes into a Science Frances Glessner Lee 161

Empowering Victims of Violent Crime Lois Gibson 173

"First of All, I Had to Learn English" Cristina Pino 182

Resources 195

Notes 201

Bibliography 219

Index 223

Editorial Reviews

05/16/2016
Featuring black-and-white photographs throughout, this addition to the Women of Action series traces the history of women in law enforcement. Moving chronologically from the 19th century to the present, Mullenbach assembles 16 biographies of women, including Frances Glessner Lee (1878–1962), whose interest in miniatures, science, and crime investigation led her to create dioramas of murder scenes that helped detectives hone their skills; and Isabella Goodwin (1865–1943), who spent 30 years with the New York City Police Department. In a more contemporary profile, Mullenbach draws from email interviews with Italian-born Cristina Pino, who pursued a career in forensics in the U.S. (and currently works in Torrance, Calif.). It’s an enlightening examination of a little-explored subject, offering both a historical resource and current insights into the profession. Ages 12–up. (May)

Publishers Weekly

“Young women considering careers in law enforcement will be empowered by the women profiled here.” —Booklist


“Women in Blue demonstrates the value that women bring to the law enforcement profession and how they are changing the culture of policing through communication, collaboration, and treating people with dignity and respect. Even if you are not considering a law enforcement career, you should read Women in Blue to learn how women successfully navigate a male-dominated profession.” —Catherine Sanz, executive director, Women in Federal Law Enforcement Inc.


“Mullenbach offers frank and honest stories of the personal sacrifices made by these women as they achieved their professional goals.”  —School Library Journal


“A suitable introduction to the field of law enforcement with a salutary, rarely seen focus.” —Kirkus Reviews


“An enlightening examination of a little-explored subject, offering both a historical resource and current insights into the profession.” —Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

03/01/2016
Gr 8 Up—This latest edition to the series celebrates 16 women who achieved some of the "firsts" in law enforcement, from Sadie Likens, Denver's first "jail matron," to Ethel and Marlo McGuire, the FBI's first mother-daughter duo. Mullenbach offers frank and honest stories of the personal sacrifices made by these women as they achieved their professional goals. None of these individuals are familiar household names, but they were all well respected by their supervisors and colleagues, and some are still active in their respective jurisdictions. Through personal quotes and interviews, the subjects share their most notorious cases. The book is arranged in six parts (such as "Breaking into Jail: The Early Matrons" and "'Copettes' No Longer: Policewomen"), and each one includes a short introduction to the topic and stories about the individual women. Informative sidebars discuss other female law enforcement pioneers but break the pages awkwardly, making it difficult for readers to follow the main entry. The author acknowledges that some material may not be appropriate for younger students and recommends adult guidance. Substantial notes, a bibliography, and additional resources will aid in future research. VERDICT Recommended for libraries that own other books in the series or where there is a demand for materials highlighting the accomplishments of women in professions that were previously open only to men.—Anne Jung-Mathews, Plymouth State University, NH

School Library Journal