Oklahoma was chosen as the research site because it has the highest per capita rate of female incarceration in the United States. Data came from surveys in 1991 of inmates and staff at two main Oklahoma prisons for women, field observations, personal interviews of inmates and staff, and a literature review. Results revealed that female inmates in Oklahoma share many of the same characteristics and life struggles as female inmates throughout the country. Among the common experiences are childhood abuse or domestic assault, economic pressures, and drug addictions. Inmate characteristics significantly related to higher self-esteem include good health, an internal locus of control, and social support. Disproportionate numbers of black women are incarcerated. Findings also indicated that correctional personnel who had previously held treatment-related jobs were more likely than others to include rehabilitation in their definition of corrections. In addition, partly through language, the co-optation of staff and inmates maintains the status quo and perpetuates the correctional organizational culture. Co-opted inmates are less suited than others to develop the skills and perspectives necessary to prevent their return to prison. The analysis also concludes that women's experiences in the criminal justice system cannot be fully comprehended without recognizing the importance of patriarchy as a defining characteristic of those experiences. Power and class-specific sex-role socialization are important elements in the women's prison subculture. The findings to date indicate the necessity of close scrutiny of existing prisons as well as a reevaluation of all facets of women's prisons to effectively intervene in the cycle of recidivism among female offenders. Tables, index, and 263 references