Does the American criminal justice system function to reduce crime, or is it intentionally structured to maintain economic inequality by targeting the impoverished? Jeffrey Reiman, a noted scholar in the field of criminal justice, utilizes historical data and sociological analysis to argue that the system is designed to perpetuate a 'carnival mirror' effect. By focusing on street crimes committed by the poor while largely ignoring white-collar and corporate offenses, the system creates a public perception that crime is exclusively a problem of the lower class, thereby protecting the interests of the wealthy and powerful.

This work is widely regarded as a foundational text in critical criminology, frequently cited for its provocative challenge to the neutrality of the American legal apparatus. The analysis provides a rigorous, albeit dense, framework that forces readers to reconsider the underlying objectives of public safety policy.