THE STUDY DATA CONSISTED OF RESPONSES TO WRITTEN QUESTIONNAIRES SUBMITTED TO 35 INMATES, 25 MALE CORRECTIONS OFFFICERS, AND 13 FEMALE CORRECTIONS OFFICERS AT THE BOULDER FACILITY. RESPONSES SHOWED BOTH MALE AND FEMALE STAFF FEELING SATISFIED WITH FEMALE OFFICERS' PERFORMANCE. THE ONE EXCEPTION TO THIS APPROVAL WAS CRISIS SITUATIONS, SUCH AS FIGHTS BETWEEN INMATES ALREADY IN PROGRESS BEFORE STAFF COULD INTERVENE. THE PRESENCE OF FEMALE STAFF WAS REGARDED AS AN ASSET BEFORE VIOLENCE HAD OCCURRED DUE TO THE SOFTENING AND TENSION REDUCING EFFECT OF WOMEN ON THE INSTITUTIONAL ENVIRONMENT; BUT ONCE VIOLENCE BEGAN, WOMEN WERE CONSIDERED A LIABILITY BECAUSE IT WAS FELT THEIR LACK OF STRENGTH WOULD HINDER EFFORTS TO SUCCESSFULLY DEAL WITH THE SITUATION. MANY FEMALES FELT SOMEWHAT VULNERABLE BECAUSE OF THEIR LACK OF STRENGTH AND SIZE, YET THIS WAS COMPENSATED FOR BY A LESS COMBATIVE ATTITUDE OF INMATES TOWARD WOMEN PERSONNEL. WITH REGARD TO INMATES, THE WOMEN HAD A BENEFICIAL EFFECT. THE MAJORITY OF INMATES DID NOT FEEL EMASCULATED BY THE FEMALE PRESENCE, AND ALL FELT THAT THE WOMEN'S PRESENCE MADE THE INSTITUTION MORE LIVABLE. THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF MALES ON THE STAFF BELIEVED THAT FEMALE AND MALE OFFICERS CAN WORK TOGETHER. FURTHER SELF-DEFENSE TECHNIQUES TAUGHT TO WOMEN OFFICERS MAY HELP TO RECTIFY THE WOMEN'S PROBLEMS OF DEALING WITH CRISIS SITUATIONS. REFERENCES AND TABLES ARE INCLUDED.