The basic premise of revised strain theory is that stressful events in the family or neighborhood lead to negative emotions that then lead to delinquency, particularly if normative coping resources such as parental and peer support are unavailable (Agnew and Brezina, 1997; Brezina, 1996; Hoffman and Su, 1997; Mazerolle, 1998). This body of research reveals that strain better explains male delinquency than female delinquency. Research that uses life course theory shows that among most criminal men, a quality marriage or attachment to a job leads to desistance from crime (Farrall and Bowling, 1999; Laub, Nagin, and Sampson, 1998; Nielson, 1999; Sampson and Laub, 1993). The exceptions appear to be substance-abusing men. Waves 1 and 7 of the National Longitudinal study of Youth were used to examine the effectiveness of revised strain and life course theories in explaining initial involvement in crime and desistance by girls and women. This study shows that early childhood victimization, adult racial discrimination, sexual discrimination, and having been a victim of domestic violence explain women's involvement in crime and deviance; whereas, desistance processes remain largely unidentified. 4 tables, 17 notes, and 58 references