This guide is a compilation of material critical to incarcerated women and to women in the community who have a history involving the criminal justice system. It provides them with a framework for analyzing problems, formulating strategies for change, and crafting solutions. Section 1 deals with negotiating the prison system. Six chapters address these topics: communicating with the outside, sentence computation, religious practice, sexual harassment and sexual abuse, disciplinary reports, and dispute resolution. Section 2 concerns community transitions. Four chapters focus on furloughs, escorted trips, surviving the parole process, and halfway houses. Section 3 discusses maintaining family ties in two chapters: child custody concerns for incarcerated women and filing for divorce. Section 4 deals with staying healthy. Its five chapters cover general medical care, pap smears and breast exam, AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy, and getting help for drug addiction and alcoholism. Section 5 provides information on community resources in five chapters on public benefits, housing, job training referral sources, education and literacy training programs, and drug treatment programs. Many chapters conclude with names of individuals or organizations to contact for assistance. (YLB)