Arrigo links critical criminology to social justice in the Marxist tradition. He suggests that the "superstructure" of society is shaped by "forces" such as " politics, morality, persoanl beliefs, and education." Structuralist marxists believe that these "relatively autonomous foces" contribute to definitions and enforcement of crime, and the role of crime in the legal system. How we deal with crime in the law affects social justice in a society that imprisons more people than any other developed country.

We chose Arrigo because today's primary social issues are concerned with equality, justice, fairness, and the distribution of global as well as national resources. All these issues are considered critically, that is in self reflection on how well our societies are accomplishing the goals of fairness and justice, and the extent to which in fact they should. The Arrigo book also considers the alternatives of peace, something we need to think on these days.