Do Equal Opportunities for Women in Law Enforcement Affect Performance?

Last registered on July 28, 2025
View Trial History

Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Do Equal Opportunities for Women in Law Enforcement Affect Performance?
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0016442
Initial registration date
July 23, 2025

Initial registration date is when the trial was registered.

It corresponds to when the registration was submitted to the Registry to be reviewed for publication.

First published
July 28, 2025, 9:12 AM EDT

First published corresponds to when the trial was first made public on the Registry after being reviewed.

Locations

Country
India
Region
North India

Primary Investigator

Name
Nirvikar Jassal
Affiliation
LSE
Contact Primary Investigator

Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Manisha Shah
PI Affiliation
UC Berkeley
Contact Investigator
PI Name
Aprajit Mahajan
PI Affiliation
UC Berkeley
Contact Investigator

Additional Trial Information

Status
Completed
Start date
2024-12-01
End date
2025-07-01
Keywords
Crime, Violence, & Conflict, Gender
Additional Keywords
Crime, Gender, Policing, Bureaucracy, Equity
JEL code(s)
J16, J71, K42, D73, H83, O15
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
Women in police forces often face structural barriers that limit their career advancement, including the routine assignment of gender-based violence cases over higher-profile investigations. This pilot study, conducted in north India, tests whether assigning female officers a broader array of cases can improve professional opportunities and policing outcomes. In randomly selected police stations, senior officials were instructed to distribute case assignments more equitably between male and female officers. Using administrative and survey data, the study evaluates impacts on case registration patterns, investigative quality, officer perceptions, and prospects for women’s advancement. By shifting away from occupational segregation and toward inclusion in core law enforcement duties, the project examines how institutional norms can be reshaped to promote gender equity and strengthen public sector performance. The project seeks to probe whether more equitable distribution of investigative duties—beyond traditional gendered assignments—can improve both organizational performance, professional advancement of officers, inter-group dynamics between staff, and police efficiency.The research contributes to broader debates on organizational reform and representation within criminal justice systems, particularly in the Global South.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Jassal, Nirvikar, Aprajit Mahajan and Manisha Shah. 2025. "Do Equal Opportunities for Women in Law Enforcement Affect Performance?." AEA RCT Registry. July 28. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.16442-1.0
Sponsors & Partners

There is information in this trial unavailable to the public. Use the button below to request access.

Request Information
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
In a randomized pilot study across police stations in a north Indian state, senior police officials (Station House Officers) in the treatment group were instructed by their district-level superiors to assign at least 50% of non-gender-based cases—such as theft, kidnapping, and murder—to female investigating officers (IOs). The aim is to increase female officers’ exposure to a broader array of cases beyond those typically classified as violence against women (VAW), thereby promoting more equitable case assignments.
Intervention (Hidden)
This randomized field experiment took place in 20 police stations across two districts in Haryana (Faridabad and Palwal). In the treatment group (10 stations), Station House Officers (SHOs) received a formal directive from their district Police Commissioner or Superintendent instructing them to assign at least 50% of non-gender-based cases to female investigating officers (IOs). Control stations (10) received a standard letter with no specific case allocation instructions. The intervention was monitored biweekly and supported by administrative data and officer surveys to track implementation fidelity and outcomes.
Intervention Start Date
2024-12-01
Intervention End Date
2025-07-01

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
- Changes in case allocation patterns (e.g., share of non-VAW cases assigned to female IOs)

- Professional satisfaction and perceptions of fairness

- Police efficiency measures, such as complaint registration rates, wait times, and investigation duration

- Case outcomes (e.g., charge sheet submission, case closure, conviction)
Primary Outcomes (explanation)
Case Assignment is measured using administrative data on and biweekly surveys that record the number and type of cases assigned to each IO

Officer Attitudes are measured through structured surveys administered at baseline and endline, including self-reported job satisfaction, perceptions of leadership, and desire for transfers

Efficiency will be assessed through administrative data, supplemented with case logs on time to charge sheet or final disposition

Case Outcomes are drawn from matched matching police reports to court files and internal police updates focusing on whether cases assigned to female IOs differ in processing or resolution

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Changes in inter-group dynamics and attitudes toward female colleagues

IOs’ reported time use (e.g., time spent on investigations vs. counseling)

Aspirations for promotion or long-term tenure in the police force
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
Treatment stations received a directive to reassign at least 50% of non-gender-based cases to female IOs. Control stations continued business as usual. The study evaluates changes in case allocation, officer satisfaction, and policing outcomes.
Experimental Design Details
Randomization was stratified by police station size (number of IOs and total FIRs registered in the previous year) and implemented at the police station level. Specialized stations (e.g., Mahila thanas and cyber cells) were excluded. Monitoring surveys were conducted biweekly for six months with SHOs and other police officials. Data sources include police reports, courts records, baseline and endline officer surveys, and post-endline qualitative interviews.
Randomization Method
Computer-generated randomization conducted in office, stratified by station size and police report volume.
Randomization Unit
Police station (cluster-level randomization)
Was the treatment clustered?
Yes

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
Roughly 20
Sample size: planned number of observations
Approximately 190+ Investigating Officers (IOs)
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
10 treatment police stations, 10 control police stations
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
A formal power calculation was not included due to the pilot nature and limited number of clusters (20 stations). Where appropriate, randomization inference will be used to supplement statistical power in analysis.
Supporting Documents and Materials

There is information in this trial unavailable to the public. Use the button below to request access.

Request Information
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
IFMR
IRB Approval Date
2025-07-04
IRB Approval Number
Details not available
Analysis Plan

Post-Trial

Post Trial Information

Study Withdrawal

There is information in this trial unavailable to the public. Use the button below to request access.

Request Information

Intervention

Is the intervention completed?
No
Data Collection Complete
Data Publication

Data Publication

Is public data available?
No

Program Files

Program Files
Reports, Papers & Other Materials

Relevant Paper(s)

Reports & Other Materials