The first of three speakers at the forum presented an overview of the origin and development of women's prisons in the United States. The second speaker developed a profile of the female offender in Federal custody, focusing on the specific program and service needs of this population. The final presented described Canadian initiatives in creating program options for female offenders. A panel of three Bureau of Prison employees discussed many controversial issues related to female offenders including security classification, bonding, victim/victimization cycle, and self-esteem. Four work groups met at the end of the conference to discuss the treatment and program needs of female offenders and make recommendations. 1 appendix