ON JANUARY 1, 1977, THE OVERALL FEMALE PRISON POPULATION IN FRANCE WAS 851 OUT OF A TOTAL PRISON POPULATION OF 34,000; 49.01 PERCENT OF THE FEMALE INMATES WERE SERVING SENTENCES FOR OFFENCES AGAINST PROPERTY, 32.11 PERCENT FOR SIMPLE THEFT, 7.32 PERCENT FOR QUALIFIED THEFT, 5.63 PERCENT FOR SWINDLE AND CONFIDENCE TRICKS, 13.8 PERCENT FOR SERIOUS ATTACKS ON PERSONS, 1.12 PERCENT FOR SEXUAL OFFENCES, 2.81 PERCENT FOR PIMPING, 13.52 PERCENT FOR CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN, AND 13.09 PERCENT FOR WRITING BAD CHECKS. INQUIRIES AT CORRECTIONAL ESTABLISHMENTS REVEALED THAT OFFENCES ON THE INCREASE ARE THEFT, VOLUNTARY BODILY HARM, HOMICIDE, FORGERY AND USE OF FORGED DOCUMENTS, AND DRUG ABUSE. THERE ARE APPARENTLY FEWER INCIDENCES OF INFANTICIDE, CHILD-BEATING, CORRUPTION OF MINORS, AND ABORTION. A TOTAL OF 10 PERCENT OF THE FEMALE INMATES WERE ILLITERATE, 81.9 PERCENT HAD PRIMARY EDUCATIONS, AND 8.69 PERCENT HAD SECONDARY EDUCATIONS. DRESSMAKERS, CLEANERS, HOSPITAL WORKERS, BARMAIDS, AND TYPISTS WERE THE OCCUPATIONS MOST REPRESENTATIVE OF THE FEMALE INMATES. FUTURE TRENDS ALSO POINT TO THE INCARCERATION OF YOUNGER WOMEN, WITH 21 OUT OF 170 PRISONERS BEING LESS THAN 21 YEARS AND 50 BETWEEN THE AGES OF 21 AND 25. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO FEMALE CRIMINALITY APPEAR TO BE A PREDISPOSITION TOWARD IMPULSIVE, EMOTIONAL BEHAVIOR; AN UNSTABLE HOME LIFE; LOW INTELLECTUAL LEVEL; LACK OF A TRADE; ALCOHOLISM; AND A LACK OF ROOTS IN SURROUNDINGS. FIRST OFFENDERS AND DRUG ADDICTS SHOULD BE SEPARATED FROM THE GENERAL PRISON POPULATION, AND REHABILITATION OF FEMALE OFFENDERS SHOULD BE EMPHASIZED. EMPLOYMENT AID SHOULD ALSO PROVIDED TO BE EX-INMATES. NO REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (RCB)