ON JANUARY 5, 1974, THE FIRST SOCIAL THERAPEUTIC DIVISION (STD) FOR WOMEN IN THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY WAS OPENED AT LUEBECK TO PROVIDE PLACES FOR 20 INMATES. THE TREATMENT, CARE, AND CONTROL OF WOMEN PLACED IN THE UNIT ARE THE DUTY OF THE PSYCHIATRIC SERVICE, THE PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICE, AND THE SOCIAL SERVICE, ALL OF WHICH ARE SUPPORTED BY GUARDS SPECIALLY TRAINED FOR SOCIAL THERAPEUTIC SUPERVISION. IN A SEPARATE BUILDING THE CELLS WERE REMODELED INTO INDIVIDUAL ROOMS FOR THE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS. ATTENDANTS FOR THE UNIT WERE RECRUITED FROM AMONG OFFICER-VOLUNTEERS AT THE FACILITY; BOTH UNIFORMS AND AN EXTERNALLY RECOGNIZABLE PERSONNEL HIERARCHY WERE REJECTED FOR THERAPEUTIC REASONS. WOMEN IN THE STD UNDERGO THREE PHASES OF THERAPY: ENTRY, TREATMENT, AND TRANSITION. IN THE ENTRY PHASE, EMPHASIS IS PLACED ON PERSONALITY DIAGNOSIS AND INVESTIGATIVE EXAMINATIONS; COMPILATIONS OF CASE HISTORIES AND PSYCHOPATHOLOGICAL, SOCIOPSYCHIATRIC, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS PROVIDE DATA ON THE INMATE'S SUITABILITY FOR ACCEPTANCE INTO THE STD. THE TREATMENT PHASE, WHICH LASTS FROM 1 TO 2 YEARS, CONCENTRATES ON MILIEU THERAPY. IN THE TRANSITION PHASE, THE PARTICIPANTS ARE GRADUALLY LED OUT OF THE CLOSED GROUP SITUATION. ONE OF THE MAJOR PROBLEMS OF THE STD HAS BEEN THAT IT IS NOT DISTINCT FROM THE REST OF THE FACILITY, A DISADVANTAGE RESULTING FROM ITS CLOSE PHYSICAL PROXIMITY. HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DEFICIENCY IS IN THE TRANSITION PHASE. BECAUSE OF PERSONNEL CONSTRAINTS, THE PRIMARY ORIENTATION IS STILL INTERNAL; IT HAS NOT YET BEEN POSSIBLE TO FULLY ENCOMPASS THE FAMILY AND OCCUPATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS TO WHICH THE INMATE WILL RETURN. --IN GERMAN. (KBL)