Bad Girls: A History of Rebels and Renegades by Caitlin DaviesMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
A thought-provoking history of the notorious woman's prison. It shows that while Holloway was a deeply flawed place, it did have its merits and its closure perhaps caused more problems than it solved. Importantly, it again raises the issue that prison may not be the best way to deal with women who break the law and that female prisoners have different needs from male ones.
What I felt Davies does very well is not to pass judgement on either the prisoners or the whose who worked at Holloway. Instead, she focuses on how Holloway's problems were complex and that they often the fault of the penal system rather than particular individuals.
My one regret is that I read the ebook version. I volunteer for a library for homeless people and I think this is exactly the type of book that they would want to read (even if they've never been in trouble with the law, they've probably been the victim of an unfair system). So, it's a shame I am not able to donate my copy to the library.
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