ABSTRACT
Recent years have witnessed a growth of interest in the study and theorization of men and masculinities across a range of academic disciplines. This is particularly evident within the field of criminal justice where the literature on masculinity has emerged as an important area of investigation. This growth in literature has made a valuable contribution to our understanding of masculinity in relation to crime and victimization. 1 Our understanding of masculinity in relation to those professionals working in the criminal justice system more broadly, and those working in the police service more particularly, however, remains noticeably underdeveloped. This is not to say that men working in policing have not been considered by scholars; indeed, men have often been at the centre of both academic and policy enquiries. More usually, such enquiries have tended to focus on the rank-and-file officer and on the negative aspects of a police culture characterized by a ‘cult of masculinity’. The police service in England and Wales has been the subject of a number of high-profile and damning reports that have emphasized the damaging effects of such a culture on both male and female police officers and on its interactions with offenders and victims. 2
