A county judge in California has ordered that a woman convicted of child abuse use the device for three years as a condition of probation.

More typical among women convicted of drug offenses are 5- and 10-year mandatory terms.

The report also says at least 26 people have been executed by stoning over the last year, including 14 women convicted of adultery and prostitution.

Saudi authorities have executed a woman convicted of practicing magic.

"That doesn't seem a strong enough motive," he said, "to cause a man to try to get a woman convicted of murder."

They also lessen the prison sentence for women convicted of performing an abortion on themselves, from life imprisonment to 12 years.

And women's groups in other states say they are beginning to hear talk about legislation requiring women convicted of drug abuse to use Norplant.

More than half of all women convicted of crimes have problems with prescription drug abuse.

That usually makes sense, but exceptions could be made for battered women convicted of violent crimes without endangering society at large.

In the maximum-security prison Donna has been with women convicted of abusing their children.