Clue: Criminals having posted for female convicts (9)
Answer: SENTENCES
Explanation: Definition: convicts
 "fences"(criminals who deal in stolen goods) **with** SENT(posted/sent to addressees) **replacing**(having … for) "f"(abbrev. for "female").
Defn: …/declares someone is guilty and states the punishment he/she is to undergo, in a court of law.