To understand criminal offending among women requires an exploration of the developmental, relational, and environmental contexts of their lives. Understanding and learning from their experiences aids in creating more effective prevention services for at-risk girls, as well as better intervention strategies for incarcerated and addicted women. This paper describes the childhood experiences of five imprisoned African-American women who have extensive histories of drug addiction and criminal behavior. Their childhood experiences are explored with critical attention to the themes of alcohol and drug use, sexual abuse, and mother-daughter relationships. The five interviews evolved from a larger study on criminal behavior, drug addiction, and recurrent imprisonment. All five women experienced sexual abuse as children. The findings indicate that the women’s use of alcohol and drugs typically evolved from a context of family environments where alcohol and drug use were deeply embedded in the early socialization process. Intrafamilial violence was common in these families where the use of alcohol and drugs had become normalized. Their shared experiences were marked by an absence of mutually empathic relationships throughout childhood and adolescence. Early intervention and prevention strategies for young African-American girls are needed in the form of positive relationships. References