The first conference was hosted in 1985 by the Minnesota Department of Correction. The national workshop was not sponsored or funded by a formal national association until 2003 when the Association on Programs for Female Offenders (APFO), an affiliate of the American correctional Association, assumed co-sponsorship in order to sustain continuity of the Workshop. The Workshop is hosted every other year by a different state. A national steering committee is appointed by the directors of corrections and juvenile services throughout the country to assist in the conference planning.

National response has been overwhelming. In 1993 juvenile females were included and added to the existing workshops to address prisons, community corrections, jails/detention and leadership issues in the management of adult and juvenile female offenders. The conference now attracts approximately 500 participants nationally and from Canada.

Until 1985 no mechanism existed for training and networking for corrections professionals who worked specifically with female offenders. Because of gender and cultural needs of this population, many working in the field strongly believed that there needed to be an international and ongoing discourse regarding female offenders. A grassroots movement began to provide a forum for women and men in the corrections professions to come together every other year and share information and concerns regarding the needs, management and treatment of female offenders.

Mississippi has been selected to host the 2009 Workshop. The conference theme is: Harmony Beyond Boundaries - Blending New Challenges with Emerging Ideas. Together, we have made tremendous efforts at the local, state and national level. Blending our best practices brings harmony beyond our boundaries.

1985: The Risk of Innovation ~ Moving the Establishment
Minnesota

1987: Fitting the Pieces Together ~ Female Offender Dilemma
North Carolina

1989: Changing Needs of Female Offenders ~ A Challenge for the Future
Pennsylvania

1991: Removing Barrier, Building Bridges, Breaking the Cycle
Washington DC

1993: Turning Obstacles into Opportunities
Oklahoma

1995: Complex Challenges, Collaborative Solutions
South Carolina

1997: Success in the 21ST Century: Building Confidence, Competence & Connections
Minnesota

1999: Embracing Reality: The Journey Beyond Perceptions
Illinois

2001: Unity Through Collaboration & Communication
Idaho

2003: Changing the Course, Lighting the Way
Maine

2005: Clearing the Path for Women & Girls: A Call for Action
Minnesota

2007: Transforming Lives ~ Soaring to New Horizons
Maryland