SEVERAL FACTORS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GENERAL LACK OF ATTENTION TO WOMEN'S CORRECTIONS. LOWER CRIME RATES AMONG FEMALES AND DISPARATE TREATMENT THROUGHOUT THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM HAVE RESULTED IN A RELATIVELY SMALL FEMALE INMATE POPULATION. IN ADDITION, WOMEN HAVE NOT ATTRACTED ATTENTION BECAUSE TRADITIONALLY THEY HAVE NOT COMMITTED VIOLENT, PERSONAL OFFENSES AND BECAUSE, AS PRISONERS, THEY HAVE BEEN RELATIVELY COOPERATIVE. CRIME STATISTICS FOR 1956 THROUGH 1975 INDICATE THAT INCREASING PERCENTAGES OF WOMEN ARE BEING ARRESTED FOR ALL CRIMES AND THAT THIS INCREASE IS EVEN GREATER IN THE SERIOUS CRIME CATEGORY. ALTHOUGH SUCH INCREASES ARE LARGELY ATTRIBUTABLE TO AN INCREASE IN PROPERTY RATHER THAN PERSONAL OFFENSES, THE NATURE OF FEMALE CRIME APPEARS TO BE CHANGING. THE FEMALE OFFENDER IN THE FUTURE IS LIKELY TO BEAR A STRONG RESEMBLANCE TO HER MALE COUNTERPART. FEMALE INMATES ARE BECOMING MORE AGGRESSIVE IN THEIR DEMANDS FOR EQUALITY. MANY PROBLEMS IN WOMEN'S CORRECTIONS ARE RECEIVING INCREASING ATTENTION, INCLUDING LIMITED EDUCATIONAL AND VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS, HARDSHIPS IMPOSED BY THE REMOTENESS OF THE PLACES WHERE MANY WOMEN ARE CONFINED, THE MIXING OF DIFFERENT OFFENDER TYPES, FAMILY DISRUPTION, STAFFING DEFICIENCIES, AND HOMOSEXUALITY. ALTERNATIVES TO THE TRADITIONAL SYSTEM OF WOMEN'S CORRECTIONS INCLUDE REPLACEMENT OF EXISTING WOMEN'S FACILITIES WITH COMMUNITY TREATMENT CENTERS OR COEDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED).