CONTENTS OF THE HANDBOOK, PREPARED BY THE STAFF OF THE FEMALE OFFENDERS PROGRAM OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA, INC., INCLUDE A PROFILE OF THE WOMAN OFFENDER, STEPS FOR STARTING A COMMUNITY SERVICES PROJECT, PROJECT BASICS, AND CONCLUSIONS. THE TYPICAL WOMAN OFFENDER IS DESCRIBED AS BLACK, APPROXIMATELY 26 YEARS OLD, UNSKILLED, UNDEREDUCATED, UNMOTIVATED, LONELY, SUBJECT TO EXCESSIVE DRUG OR ALCOHOL ABUSE, AND HAVING A LOW INCOME. HER MOST FREQUENT PRISON OFFENSE IS DISORDERLY CONDUCT; HER SECOND MOST FREQUENT, PROSTITUTION. ARREST HISTORIES MOST OFTEN REVEAL A COMBINATION OF DISORDERLY CONDUCT, DRUNKENNESS, VAGRANCY, LARCENY, DRUG ABUSE, PROSTITUTION, AND OCCASIONALLY, FORGERY OR BURGLARY. CRIMES FEMALES MOST OFTEN COMMIT, NOT NECESSARILY RESULTING IN IMPRISONMENT, INCLUDE FRAUDULENT USE OF CREDIT CARDS, RETAIL THEFT AND BAD CHECKS DRUGS-AND ALCOHOL-RELATED CRIMES, PROSTITUTION, AND HOMICIDE (USUALLY INVOLVING AN ABUSIVE SPOUSE OR PARAMOUR). WOMEN OFFENDERS SHOW STRONG DEPENDENCY NEEDS AND ARE OFTEN ACTUAL OR POTENTIAL CHILD ABUSERS. THIS HANDBOOK TELLS HOW TO BEGIN AND FUND A PROGRAM FOR WOMEN OFFENDERS; SELECT AN OFFICE, STAFF, AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS; WORK WITH WOMEN OFFENDERS IN INTAKE, JOB PLACEMENT, AND PRERELEASE COUNSELING, AND SELECT VOLUNTEERS. APPENDIXES DESCRIBE A WOMAN OFFENDERS PROJECT AND TIMETABLE, SAMPLE BUDGET, PROGRAM FORMS, INCLUDING AN EMPLOYMENT TRAINING QUESTIONNAIRE, VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS, AND JOB DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS. (AOP)