During the study period the proportion of arrests of women increased from 10.6 percent to 14.5 percent of total arrests. Women in their 20's made up the largest age group of arrestees; single women were also greatly overrepresented. More than half of the arrested women were employed outside the home, and 30.8 percent were unemployed at the time of arrest. The women were most often arrested at night, but arrests of women were more evenly spread across the days of the week than were those of men. During the 5-year period, the rate of recidivism for drunk driving was 7.43 percent. Changes in legal and arrest procedures in 1982 had the same effects on arrests of women as it did on those of men. Tables and 15 references. (Author abstract modified)