Several of the effects examined were significant predictors of both violent and nonviolent rule infractions, including an inmate's age, ethnicity (Hispanic), children, prior incarceration, sentence length, abuse history, prearrest drug use, and mental health, as well as the facility-level effects of crowding and security level. Other effects were significant predictors of only one of the two outcomes, including an inmate's race, marital and cohabitation status, and committing offense type, and program participation and work assignment. Inmate rule breaking is disruptive to the security and order of correctional facilities. While some studies have been conducted on females inmates, most focused only on one institution, prohibiting the examination of environmental effects on misconduct. Drawing from micro- and macro level theories of social control, this study used national samples of female inmates selected from roughly 40 State correctional facilities during 1991 and 1997 to examine the relative effects of inmate and environmental characteristics on assaults and nonviolent misconduct. Tables, appendix, notes, and references