The introduction outlines commonalities of culture and social control -- including offenses against the religious code, offenses against human beings, and self-help or retaliatory action -- between the four target groups of women. The first two chapters explore the colonial period in which the justice system in Papua New Guineau was established, and relevant aspects of the post-independence period, particularly the roles played by village courts and the probation service. The chapters devoted to an analysis of the four target groups discuss social organization and leadership, the position of women, social control and dispute settlement, and the specific influences of administration, missionaries, village courts, and the probation service. The author concludes that, while the system of social control imposed by colonialism was inappropriate to Papua New Guineau because it did not take into consideration traditional values and systems of social control, nevertheless, women were left in a stronger position vis a vis social control and dispute settlement compared to their status prior to contact with the colonial power.