FEMALE OFFENDERS HAVE TRADITIONALLY BEEN FORGOTTEN AND THEIR PROBLEMS IGNORED BY CRIMINOLOGISTS, LAWYERS, PENOLOGISTS, AND SOCIAL SCIENTISTS. TO FURTHER UNDERSTAND OF THEIR CONCERNS, INFORMATION WAS GATHERED THROUGH LITERATURE REVIEWS, VISITS TO CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES, AND INTERVIEWS WITH INMATES AND CORRECTIONS OFFICIALS. FINDINGS INDICATE THAT MOST FEMALE OFFENDERS COME FROM RACIAL OR ETHNIC MINORITIES: BLACK, HISPANIC, OR AMERICAN INDIAN. THEY ARE, FOR THE MOST PART, YOUNGER THAN THE GENERAL POPULATION--UNDER 30--AND HAVE LESS EDUCATION. MANY HAVE HAD TROUBLED OR ABUSED CHILDHOODS. HOWEVER, THESE WOMEN ARE NOT AS UNSKILLED AND DIFFIDENT AS EXPERTS HAVE SUPPOSED, NOR ARE THEY TURNING TO VIOLENT CRIME. SPECIFIC, ACCURATE, AND COMPREHENSIVE DATA ON FEMALE OFFENDERS ARE NEEDED TO SERVE AS A BASIS FOR MAKING POLICY DECISIONS. A CHOICE MUST BE MADE AS TO WHETHER INCARCERATION IS INTENDED TO PUNISH OR REHABILITATE WOMEN OFFENDERS, AND ALTERNATIVES TO INCARCERATION AND PROBATION SHOULD BE DEVELOPED TO PERMIT A MORE DIVERSIFIED AND INDIVIDUALIZED APPROACH TO CORRECTIONS. ADEQUATE FUNDING IS NEEDED TO PROVIDE NECESSARY SERVICES, AS WELL AS DIVERSIFIED AND RELEVANT EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES. AN EFFECTIVE LINK FROM THE INSTITUTION BACK TO SOCIETY MUST BE DEVELOPED WHICH WILL PROVIDE MEANINGFUL EMPLOYMENT OR TRAINING AND OTHER SERVICES NECESSARY FOR INMATES TO MAKE SUCCESSFUL TRANSITIONS. PHOTOGRAPHS, CHARTS, AND TABULAR DATA ARE INCLUDED. A SERIES OF 10 TABLES PROVIDING DEMOGRAPHIC DATA ON FEMALE OFFENDERS AND A LIST OF SELECTED STUDIES AND REPORTS DEALING WITH FEMALE OFFENDERS ARE PROVIDED. (KCP)