Criminal Women

Criminal Women tells the stories of four women who, in attempting to become women of their own making, became deeply involved in crime.

Throughout the book, tales from the underworld and the criminal business world are interspersed with inside accounts of life in the women’s prisons – Holloway, Styal’s ‘Bleak House’, Durham’s H. Wing, Askham Grange, Pucklechurch and Bullwood Hall.

These stories of criminal women are vivid chronicles of the times in which they have lived. They will be of great interest to anyone concerned with the diversity of ways in which women cope with life in a class-riven and still deeply sexist society.

Introduction, Pat Carlen
1 Looking for Trouble, Chris Tchaikovsky
2 Christina: In her own Time, Diana Christina and Pat Carlen
3 Jenny: In a Criminal Business, Jenny Hicks and Pat Carlen
4 Josie: Surviving Holloway... and other Women’s Prisons, Josie O’Dwyer and Pat Carlen
Women In Prison, Pat Carlen and Chris Tchaikovsky
Appendix: The Women In Prison Manifesto ‘These essays make a poignant and purposeful statement which goes behind the rumors and beyond the mythology into a world that is different from men's prison. The women in them speak with the authentic voice of experience; they are survivors as well as victims.’
Mary McIntosh, University of Essex

‘Once again Pat Carlen's readiness to move outside the familiar topics of criminology has paid off. The women who tell their stories in these pages provide a highly readable, sometimes tragic, often comic introduction to a neglected area. We are fortunate indeed that the first book published in this country on the subject of women and professional crime should also be of such high quality as to suggest that it will remain a standard text for many years.’
Laurie Taylor, University of York

Pat Carlen is author of Magistrates' Justice and Women's Imprisonment
Diana Christina lives in South London. Through painting and writing she aims to achieve 'self-integration, which is the art of living'.
Jenny Hicks currently works for Clean Break, the ex-prisoner's theatre company, and the campaigning group Women In Prison.
Josie O'Dwyer was Employment Development Worker for Women In Prison and is a member of the Clean Break Theatre Company.
Chris Tchaikovsky is a member of the GLC Women's Committee and the founder of the campaigning group Women In Prison. She has published numerous articles on women's imprisonment.