77 terms
Crime/Law
What crimes are most serious? Why?
What crimes are least serious? Why?
What are the best ways to prevent crime?
Here is a short crime story from the book English Vocabulary in Use." Which words do you know or can you guess?
There was an armed bank robbery. The police investigated the crime scene and interviewed witnesses. They suspected that Bill committed the crime, arrested him and charged him with the crime. The police also believed that Bill's twin brother, Ben was involved in the crime.…
arrested
Bill was _____________ for robbing a bank. =to be caught by the police.
rights
The police must explain your _____________. = basic things people are able to do because of the law.
charged with
He was _____________ bank robbery. = told what your crime is.
innocent
Ben was _____________. = means you didn't do anything bad.
guilty
He was found _____________ of armed robbery. = means you did something bad.
public defender
He didn't have any money, so she got a _____________. = a lawyer that works for the government and helps poor people.
bail
They couldn't afford _____________, so they had to stay in jail. = the money you give the court so that you can go free before your trial starts.
trial
At the _____________ the lawyers presented evidence. = a legal event when people decide if someone is guilty or innocent.
defense lawyer
The _______ lawyer presented presented evidence to the jury. = the lawyer that tries to prove that someone is innocent.
prosecutor
The _____________ put many witnesses on the stand. = the lawyer that tries to prove that someone is guilty.
District Attorney
The _____________ wanted a conviction to show that he was hard on crime. = a lawyer who is elected to the government, brings people to court, and tries to prove people are guilty.
plea bargain
They offered Ben a _____________. = an arrangement in which someone says that they are guilty and take a lesser punishment.
admit
They wanted Ben to _____________ that she was guilty. = to tell people that you did a bad thing when asked. Ex.
jury
In the U.S. any citizen can be called for _____________ duty. = a group of 12 people that listen to a case and decide if someone is innocent or guilty.
evidence
There was very little _____________ against her. = anything that proves that someone is guilty or innocent.
witness
The _____________ in her case was lying. = a person who saw the crime or who has evidence
defendant
The _____________ sits on the judge's right side in the courtroom. = the person who is accused of breaking the law.
cross-examine
The lawyer was able to _____________ the witness against her. = when the lawyer for the other side asks a witness questions.
judge
The _____________ in the case was very fair. = the leader of the court who listens to the lawyers and witnesses to make sure everything is fair.
convicted
She was _____________ of murder. = to be told you are guilty.
felony
Murder is a ______ crime. = a serious crime with a long punishment
misdemeanor
Shoplifting is a ______. = a crime that is not very serious and does not have a long punishment.
vandalism
There was ______ at the school. = the crime of deliberately damaging things, especially public property
smuggling
There is a lot of drug _____. = the crime of taking something illegally from one country to another
rape
There was a ____ on campus. = the crime of forcing someone to have sex, especially by using violence
murder
There was a _____ last week. = the crime of deliberately killing someone
arson
Police think that the fire may have been _____. = the crime of deliberately making something burn, especially a building
legalize
Some people want to _____ drugs. = make something legal
kidnap
In the movie, they ____ his daughter. = to take someone somewhere illegally by force, often in order to get money for returning them
victim
The police talked to the _____ of the crime. = someone who has been attacked, robbed, or murdered:
shoplifting
Some teenagers were caught _____ in the store. = the crime of stealing things from shops, for example by hiding them in a bag or under your clothes
fraud
Credit card ______ has become a big problem. = the crime of deceiving people in order to gain something such as money or goods
released
He was ______ from prison. = to let someone go free
accused
She was ______ of murder. = when people say that another person is guilty of a crime or of doing something bad
sentenced
He was ___________ to life in prison.= told what your punishment will be
parole
He was let out on ___________ for good behavior. = permission for someone to leave prison, on the condition that they promise to behave well
defended
The family _____ themselves, saying that they didn't mean hurt their daughter. = to say something to show that you didn't do a bad thing
prosecute
The lawyers want to _____ the family. = to charge someone with a crime and try to show that they are guilty of it in a court of law
self-defense
The police officer claimed _______ after he shot a young man. = something you do to protect yourself or your property
assault
There was an _______ in my neighborhood. = the crime of physically attacking someone:
white-collar crime
______ is not violent but causes a lot of damage. = crimes that happen in offices, banks etc by employees or owners.
street crime
Most newspapers report about _____. = violent crime that happens in public places.
against the law
It is _____________ to sell alcohol to minors. = illegal (idiom)
embezzled
They ________ millions of dollars from their company. = to steal money from the place where you work
abuse
They beat their child very badly and were arrested for ______. = cruel or violent treatment of someone
neglect
The child had no food or health care, and the parents were arrested for _______. = failure to look after something or someone
intent
When thinking about punishment people, often look at the _______ of the criminal. =
death penalty
He got the _________. = the punishment of being killed
revenge
He killed their father, so they want _______. = something you do in order to punish someone who has harmed or offended you
cruel
Some people say that the death penalty is ______. = trying hurt people; very unkind
prison
There are too many people in that ________. = a building where people are kept as a punishment for a crime
executed
He was ________ for murder. = when the government carries out a punishment of death.
treason
He was convicted of ________. = the crime of being disloyal to your country or its government, especially by helping its enemies
protect
He killed a man because he was trying to ________ his family. = to keep someone or something safe
life imprisonment
He got _________ for his crime. = a punishment of being in a prison until you die
abolished
The death penalty has been _______ in many countries. = not done anymore; made illegal
oppose
Some people _______ the death penalty. = are against it.
support
Some people _______ the death penalty. = are for it.
suspect
Have they found a _____ in the case? = someone who is thought to be guilty of a crime
burglary
There was a ______ last week. = the crime of getting into a building to steal things usually without weapons
robbery
There was a bank _____ last month. = the crime of stealing money or things from a bank, shop etc, especially using violence
mugging
There was a _____ on this street. = an attack on someone in which they are robbed in a public place
violent
There has been a decrease in _____ crime. = involving actions that are intended to injure or kill people, by hitting them, shooting them etc
prevent
Police officers try to ______ crime. = stop it before it happens.
investigate
The police will _____ the crime. = to try to find out the truth about or the cause of something such as a crime or accident
handcuffs
The officers put _____ on the man and took him to the police station. = a pair of metal rings joined by a chain that are used for holding a prisoner's wrists together:
prisoner
The _______ tried to escape. = someone who is kept in a prison as a legal punishment for a crime or while they are waiting
punishment
Some people say that the death penalty is an unfair kind of ________. = when someone is made to suffer because they have done something wrong or broken the law
manslaughter
She was cleared of murder but found guilty of _______.= the crime of killing someone illegally but not deliberately
armed
The men were ______ with gun. = carrying weapons, especially a gun
testimony
They listened carefully to the ______ of the witnesses. = a formal statement saying that something is true, especially one a witness makes in a court of law
acquitted
He was ______ and released from jail. = to give a decision in a court of law that someone is not guilty of a crime
arraignment
At the _______ hearing, they pled not guilty. = to make someone come to court to hear what their crime is and officially say whether they are pleading innocent or guilty
stand
The witness took the _____ and promised to tell the truth. = the place in the courtroom where the witness gives testimony i.e. says what they know
verdict
The judge read the _____ at the end of the trial. = an official decision made in a court of law, especially about whether someone is guilty of a crime
felon
After he got out of prison, it was hard to get a job because he was a convicted _____. = someone who has been found guilty of a serious crime
weapon
The police looked for the _____ used in the crime but couldn't find it. = something that you use to fight with or attack someone with, such as a knife, bomb, or gun