key terms

• interpretivist


  crime statistics are a social construct. They are the outcome of various decisions made by victims, witnesses and the police. They do not provide a true picture of crime levels
• labelling


  Behaviour only becomes deviant when people such as police officers define it as such. Behaviour only becomes deviant when people say so
• MARXISTS


  The statistics reflect the class - based nature of a capitalist society. White collar crime and corporate crime are not policed effectively