Female chief officers and crime: evidence from England and Wales

I study the impact of the appointment of female chief police officers on crimes typically committed against females: sexual and rape offenses. Evidence suggests that adding more female chief officers leads to a statistically significant increase in documented sexual crimes in England and Wales. Yet, this rise is good news because it is due not to a rise in actual crimes committed or improved police recording practices but, rather, to more reporting of sexual crimes. I also find that appointing a female chief officer is associated with a reduction of around 1.1 homicides against women, which is equivalent to 21 percent of the mean value. Exploration of mechanisms suggests that the reduction may reflect an increase in policing resources devoted to women's protection.