Recognizing that female offenders often offend for different reasons than men and have needs that are different from men, the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS) established the Female Offender Management Work Group. The purpose of the Work Group was to evaluate policies, procedures, and initiatives that addressed the needs of female offenders inside Maryland’s female prison institutions as well as in community correctional settings. The 21-member group was charged with: (1) identifying critical areas affecting female offenders; (2) conducting research on the best and promising practices for the management of female offenders; and (3) making annual policy recommendations to the DPSCS secretary regarding policies, procedures, training, and fiscal impact. The article describes the research and subsequent changes that came about as a result of the Work Group’s efforts. These changes include a new risk assessment form specifically for female offenders, increased staff training on trauma and gender-responsive programming, an enhanced facility design that fosters social and mental rehabilitation, and new visitation rules that allow children to sit on their mothers’ laps. Other improvements include the banishment of partitions for family visits and transition services following incarceration, including education services, substance abuse treatment, and housing assistance. Endnotes