The preface notes that the book is guided by the assumption that discrimination exists in the criminal justice system and that such discrimination is likely to affect poor black women differently than it does poor black men and poor white women. The analysis considers the applicability of major models of social relations in the judicial process to issues of race, class, and gender relations in criminal justice; the historical experiences of black women in British society; and how the construction of black people as a crime-prone category could lead to the victimization of innocent black women. The discussion also analyzes the author's courtroom observations on disparity, discrimination, support, isolation, credibility, and procedure and examines the race and gender composition of prison populations of prison populations in England and Wales. The analysis concludes that black women experience unique problems, as well as problems shared with others who experience the race, class, or gender relations that affect black women. Tables and approximately 300 references