This paper presents the results from two independent studies investigating social support among correctional inmates focusing on the relationship between social support and psychological well-being. One study is based on males at a maximum-security prison, while the other is based on females at a high-medium-security prison. The female inmates were found to have higher levels of social support than the sample of male inmates. It also was found that there is a relationship between social support and psychological well-being for the incarcerated women, but no such relationship was found to exist for the male inmates. These findings are consistent with the social support literature which identifies gender differences in noninstitutionalized populations. Suggestions for the direction of future research are provided. Tables, notes, references