Different types of Crime
Abduction / Kidnapping –(Abductor/Kidnapper) – The act of taking someone by force against their will
Abolish –
Compel – must be done
Enact –
Exempt from legal punishment –
Impartial –
Infringe – brake a rule, law (breach, violation)
Lawful –
Lenient –
Liability –
Mandatory –
Repeal –
Trnsgress –
Unbiased – fair, not favoring anyone
Sever – harsh, extreme
Contempt –
Extenuating circumstences –
Lax – not sufficiently strict, severe, or careful.
draconian – (of laws or their application) excessively harsh and severe
Oath –
Apprehend – arrest (someone) for a crime
Solid evidence of wrongdoing –
Jaywalking –
Perjery – lying under oath
Homicide –
Culprit –
Perpetrator –
Felony –
Misdemeanor –
Fugitive –
Gunshot residue –
TTT –
TTT –
TTT –
TTT –
Assault – An act that threatens physical or sexual harm to a person, whether or not it is done or not.
Arson – (Arsonist) – The deliberate starting of fires
Bribery – Money or favours given to influence people in power. For example, police officers and politicians
Drink driving – (Drunk drivers) – Operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol
Drug dealing – (Drug dealer) – The act of selling drugs to other people
Drug possession – (Drug user) – The act of being caught in the possession of drugs
Drug smuggling – (Drug smuggler) –The act of transporting drugs across international borders
Corruption – Dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power. Often involves bribery.
Extorsion –(Extortionists) – Obtaining money or benefit through threats, force, or intimidation
Fraud/Deception – (Fraudster) – Using deceit to result in financial or personal gain
Human trafficking – (Human traffickers) – Transporting people, often against their will, to benefit from their work or service. For example, forced labour and sexual exploitation.
Identity theft – Assuming a different person’s identity, usually for financial gain.
Manslaughter – The unintentional killing of another person
Mugging – (Mugger) – The act of attacking and stealing from another person in public
Murder – (Murderer) – The premeditated act of taking another person’s life
Organised crime – Criminal activities planned by groups and carried out on a large scale.
Robbery – (Robber) – The act of forcefully taking property from a person or place
Shoplifting – (Shoplifter) – The act of stealing from shops or stores
Theft – (Thief) – The act of stealing something
Vandalism – (Vandal) – The destruction or damage to public or private property
General Vocabulary for Crime and Policing
Arrest – To take someone into custody (police station) by legal authority
Barrister – A lawyer who is allowed to practice in the higher courts
Conviction – A formal declaration of guilt made by the judge or jury
Court – The place where a trial takes place / The process of trial either with a judge or jury
Defendant/Accused – The person(s) being accused of breaking the law
Evidence/Proof – The statements, information, or physical objects that prove or disprove a crime
Guilty – The person(s) accused of the crime is responsible for the wrongdoing
Innocent – The person(s) accused of the crime is not responsible for the wrongdoing
Jail/Prison – The place where a person convicted of a crime is sent to serve their sentence
Judge – An official who decides cases of law
Jury – A group consisting of members of the public who decide the verdict in a legal case
Lawyer – A person qualified to practice law
Offence/Crime – The breaking of a rule/law – An illegal act
Probation – The release of a criminal under certain conditions such as electronic tagging or good behaviour.
Prosecution – The lawyers/institution conducting legal proceedings against the defendant/accused
Reoffending – Committing a new crime after being released from prison
Solicitor – A person qualified to prepare legal documents such as wills and property deeds.
Statement – A declaration given to the police during interviews
Trial – The process of prosecuting a person/organisation for a crime
Verdict – The final decision of the judge or jury
Witness – A person who gives evidence in court either in favour or against the defendant/accused
Crime/Policing Collocations
Act as a deterrent – Something that makes people doubt committing crime because of the perceived punishment
Be soft on crime – When the justice system is generally lenient and not strict with sentencing length and prosecutions
Be tough on crime – To be strict and harsh in terms of punishment for crime
Behind bars / Banged up – In jail
Convicted of a crime – To be found guilty of a crime
Crime of passion – A crime committed due to emotional/sexual feelings
The full weight of the law – The most severe sentence/punishment possible
Get released from jail – To be allowed back into the public following incarceration
Harsh sentences – A severe or strict punishment
Integrated back into society – How formerly incarcerated people adapt to living in normal society
Lenient sentences – Not as strict or severe as expected or as is possible
Letter of the law – Following the law exactly with no flexibility
Non-custodial sentence – A sentence that doesn’t involve going to jail. For example, community service or probation
Reduce crime rates – To make crime go down in frequency
Sentenced to five years – Sent to jail for five years
To deter crime – To make people not want to commit crime
Turn to crime – To start committing crime
Zero tolerance – To show no leniency to crime