Interviews were conducted not only with female lifers but also with prison officers. The range of options available to females in planning career paths during their life sentence was limited. Prison officer descriptions of female lifers were conflictive. Concern for the women and compassion for their problems were expressed, while cynicism and questions about the women's integrity existed. Prison officers recognized that a constant fear of many female lifers was the possibility that their young children would be adopted and that they would never see their families again. Prison officers expressed their relationships with female inmates as informal but professionally distant. A systematic approach to counseling was lacking. Female lifers expressed the same basic concerns as those cited by women serving determinate sentences, namely class-related and gender-specific responsibilities they left behind in the outside world. An additional pain of imprisonment was the loss of privacy. Women's daily existence was characterized by uncertainty about their future prospects, dependence on prison authorities for their mundane existence, and disassociation from the outside world. Low self-esteem was manifest among all women. Recommendations to ease the emotional difficulties of female lifers and help them resolve conflicts are offered. 7 references.