The current trend in the development of substance abuse treatment programs for women in the criminal justice system has two main thrusts, one philosophical and one practical. The philosophical thrust is to empower women so they perceive themselves as actors, rather than victims, able to direct their own lives. The practical thrust, which is complementary to the philosophical emphasis, provides women with the coping skills that will permit them to implement desired changes in their lives. Many of the newly developed or modified drug treatment programs that serve women offenders tend to be similarly structured, include the same or similar components, and use the same range of strategies. Common program characteristics include separate settings for in-custody programs, voluntary participation, screening for admission, drug use monitoring with random urinalysis, phased program structuring, and participation in anonymous fellowship groups. A wide range of strategies is used, including individual and group counseling, lectures, films, therapeutic groups, writing assignments, and work assignments. This paper offers recommendations for institutional and structural attributes of such programs based on successful programs and suggests program attributes that meet the special requirements for women. 9 notes and 46 references