WHEN ASSIGNED TO JAILS HOUSING PRIMARILY MALE PRISONERS AND GUARDED BY MALE JAILERS, FEMALE PRISONERS ARE EXPOSED TO SEXUAL ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION BY THE GUARDS. THE SERIOUS MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS FROM WHICH THE MAJORITY OF WOMEN OFFENDERS WERE SUFFERING PRIOR TO INCARCERATION ARE COMPOUNDED IN PRISON. THE FEW REHABILITATION PROGRAMS FROM WHICH MALE OFFENDERS MAY DERIVE SOME BENEFIT ARE NOT OPEN TO WOMEN. PRISON PHYSICIANS TEND TO TREAT WOMEN PATIENTS WITH TRANQUILIZERS AND OTHER SEDATIVE DRUGS REGARDLESS OF THEIR SYMPTOMS. INCARCERATED WOMEN HAVE BEEN FOUND TO COME FROM MORE DISTRESSED FAMILIES THAN DO INCARCERATED MEN, AND THEIR MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS GREATLY EXCEED THOSE OF THEIR MALE COUNTERPARTS. UNCERTAINTY CONCERNING THE WELFARE OF THEIR CHILDREN, THE GREATER STIGMA ATTACHED TO WOMEN WHO BREAK THE LAW, THE LACK OF MEANINGFUL EMPLOYMENT IN A PRISON ENVIRONMENT, AND THEIR LOW SELF-ESTEEM, CAUSE THEM TO BEHAVE CHILDISHLY AT TIMES. IN ADDITION, THE FEMALE GUARDS IN WOMEN'S INSTITUTIONS TEND TO BE MORE AUTHORITARIAN THAN THEIR MALE COUNTERPARTS, AND FAVOR ONLY THOSE INMATES WHO BECOME EXPERTS AT BEHAVING IN THE WAY BEST CALCULATED TO PLEASE THE PRISON MATRONS. THE MAJORITY OF FEMALE INMATES LEAVE PRISON UNCHANGED, EXCEPT FOR THE ACQUISITION OF A PRISON RECORD AND A DISTRESSING PRISON EXPERIENCE. REFORMS ARE URGENTLY NEEDED IN THE TREATMENT OF FEMALE PRISONERS. THEY SHOULD RECEIVE THE HIGHEST PRIORITY IN CRIMINAL AND PENAL POLICY PLANNING. A LIST OF 23 REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (LGR)