THIS STUDY OPENS UP A WHOLE NEW DIRECTION IN CRIMINOLOGY AND THE SOCIOLOGY OF DEVIANCE BY INVESTIGATING FEMALE CRIME FROM A COMMITTED FEMINIST POSITION. THE AUTHOR PRESENTS A FEMINIST CRITIQUE OF CLASSICAL AND CONTEMPORARY THEORIES OF FEMALE CRIMINALITY. IN AN EXAMINATION OF THE TYPES OF OFFENSES COMMITTED BY FAMALE OFFENDERS, SHE POINTS TO THE FALLACIES INHERENT IN A RELIANCE ON OFFICIAL STATISTICS AND SHOWS THE DEFICIENCIES OF THE CURRENTLY POPULAR ARGUMENT THAT FEMALE EMANCIPATION CAUSES INCREASES IN FEMALE CRIME RATES. SHE DEALS WITH STUDIES OF PROSTITUTION AND RAPE AND CONSIDERS THE TREATMENT OF WOMEN - AS OFFENDERS AND VICTIMS - BY THE CRIMINAL LAW, THE POLICE AND COURTS, AND THE PENAL SYSTEM. PARTICULAR ATTENTION IS GIVEN TO THE QUESTION OF LENIENT TREATMENT FOR FEMALE OFFENDERS WITH THE CONCLUSION THAT WOMEN AND GIRLS ARE, IN SOME IMPORTANT INSTANCES, ACTUALLY DISCRIMINATED AGAINST IN OUR LEGAL AND PENAL SYSTEMS. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FEMALE CRIMINALITY AND MENTAL ILLNESS IS DISCUSSED AND THE AUTHOR CONCLUDES BY DEALING WITH SOME OF THE PROBLEMS INHERENT IN DEVELOPING A FEMINIST CRIMINOLOGY. AN EIGHT-PAGE BIBLIOGRAPHY AND SUBJECT AND NAME INDEXES ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)...ELW