Assess the usefulness of official statistics to a sociological understanding of crime.

... Assess the usefulness of official statistics to a sociological understanding of crime. Marxists argue that crime is an inevitable consequence of capitalism, as the ruling-class decide upon what is considered as deviant criminal activities to suit their own interests, Bonger argues that property theft is seen as a response to the extremes of wealth and poverty in a capitalist society which forces individuals into crime. Such views disenchant the masses as to what crime really is and it also forces people to question aspects placed upon them in everyday society and they might rebel e.g. Angela Davis Black Panther Leader. These views all make it evident that crime and therefore methodologies behind the collection of such a thing are socially constructed; this can be synoptically linked to the way data is gathered on a wider note with regards religion e.g. Bruce found people exaggerated church attendance as to look socially

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