THE SOCIAL ORGANIZATION OF CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS FOR FEMALE OFFENDERS IS CENTERED AROUND A FAMILY SYSTEM. THE ARRAY OF FAMILY-ORIENTED ROLES IS EXTENSIVE; IT INCLUDES FATHER, MOTHER, SISTERS, AND BROTHERS, AUNTS AND UNCLES, AND GRANDPARENTS AND GRANDCHILDREN. BECAUSE OF DIFFERENT CHARACTERISTICS, DIFFERENT INMATES WILL PLAY SPECIFIC ROLES, AND PRISON FAMILIES ATTEMPT TO ACT AS MUCH LIKE FAMILIES ON THE OUTSIDE AS THEY CAN UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES. IN TIMES OF STRESS AND CRISIS, IT IS THE FAMILY STRUCTURE THAT STANDS AS A BULWARK AGAINST THE THREATS OF PRISON LIFE. THE INMATE CAN SHARE HER FEELINGS WITH THE FAMILY MEMBERS. ALTHOUGH A UNISEXUAL FAMILY CANNOT REPRODUCE, THE FAMILY STRUCTURE IS CONTINUALLY CHANGING BECAUSE INMATES-MEMBERS ARE PAROLED AND NEW INMATES ARE ACCEPTED INTO THE FAMILY. THE FAMILY IS ALSO THE PRIMARY ECONOMIC UNIT IN THE FEMALE PRISON. THE UNIT COOPERATES IN BOTH STEALING, MANUFACTURING AND CONSUMPTION OF ILLICIT GOODS. THE INMATES FREQUENTLY NEED COMMISSARY PRODUCTS THAT THEY HAVE NO MONEY TO BUY, AND ALSO, GOODS AND SERVICES THAT CANNOT BE MANUFACTURED OR STOLEN WITHOUT THE COOPERATION OF SEVERAL INMATES. THE SOCIAL FABRIC OF THE FAMILY PROVIDES THE COOPERATIVE SPIRIT AND ORGANIZATION NEEDED TO ACQUIRE SUCH ITEMS. ALSO, PUNISHMENT BY THE STAFF -- SUCH AS THE REMOVAL OF COMMISSARY PRIVILEGES -- IS SOFTENED BY THE FAMILY SYSTEM OR THE HOMOSEXUAL DYAD. WHILE EXPERTS ON THE SUBJECT DO NOT AGREE, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT BETWEEN 50 AND 70 PERCENT OF THE INMATES IN WOMEN'S PRISONS IN THE U.S. ENGAGE IN SOME SORT OF HOMOSEXUAL ACTIVITY. THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF WOMEN WHO FALL INTO THE GENERAL CATEGORY OF HOMOSEXUAL; THOSE WOMEN WHO PREFER HOMOSEXUAL ACTIVITIES TO HETEROSEXUAL ACTIVITIES IN THE FREE WORLD, AND THOSE INMATES WHO ENGAGE IN HOMOSEXUAL ACTIVITY ONLY AS A WAY OF ADJUSTING TO PRISON LIFE. SHOULD A NEW INMATE DECIDE TO ASSUME A ROLE IN A HOMOSEXUAL COUPLE, SHE MUST DECIDE WHICH CHARACTER -- A BUTCH OR A FEMME -- TO PLAY. BASED ON THE DATA CULLED FROM INTERCEPTED, CLANDESTINE NOTES THE FEMME/BUTCH RELATIONSHIP CHARACTERISTICALLY SEEN IN PRISONS PROBABLY HAS LESS A ROMANTIC THAN EROTIC AURA. A FEMME OFTEN ENTERS INTO A LOVE RELATIONSHIP BECAUSE THE BUTCH SUPPLIES THE ITEMS SHE CANNOT GET IN ANY OTHER WAY. WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD AFTER ENTERING PRISON, A NEW FEMME WILL USUALLY MARRY A BUTCH. THE MARRIAGE RELATIONSHIP WILL BE RECOGNIZED BY OTHER INMATES AND THE TWO WILL BE REFERRED TO AS MAN AND WIFE, AND THEY WILL DO EVERYTHING MARRIED COUPLES DO GIVEN THE RESTRAINTS PLACED UPON THEM BY THE INSTITUTIONAL SETTING. PROBLEMS CAUSED BY RIVALS, MISTRESSES, AND INFIDELITY SOMETIMES TRIGGER PHYSICAL VIOLENCE. (KBL)