Not ‘Fragrant’ at all: Criminal Justice Responses to ‘Risky’ Women

Illegal drug use has been increasingly implicated in offending behaviour and can have adverse social consequences for the individuals who come to the attention of the criminal justice system. However, the consequences are particularly problematic for women, for whom the use of ‘hard drugs’ is considered highly inappropriate, if increasingly common. This paper will consider the ways in which women drug users are depicted as ‘risky’ women, and will highlight policy responses. It will examine the application of concepts of ‘responsibilization’ and consider how this is applied to women drug using offenders. The paper will examine the theoretical basis for the differential depiction of drug users on the basis of gender, and will critically analyse the consequences of this for women drug users throughout their contact with the criminal justice system and related service provisions.