Vocabulary Crime

1. Sentence: the punishment given by a court
• He has a jail sentence
• He issued a light sentence to Jones.
i. Word Family
• Statement • judgment • verdict • decision

2. Prison: a building where people are kept as a punishment for a crime they have committed, or while they are waiting for trial
• He was sent to prison for five years.
i. Word Family
• jail • penal complex •reformatory • penitentiary • calaboose • dungeon • detention centre • house of correction • concentration camp

3. Probation: a system that allows a person who has committed a crime not to go to prison if they behave well and if they see an official
• The prisoner was put on probation.
i. Word Family
• Trial • audition • probation

4. Prosecution: the process of trying to prove in courtthat somebody is guilty of a crime (= of prosecuting them); the process of being officially charged with a crime in court
• He threatened to bring a private prosecution against the doctor.
i. Word Family
• examination • hearing • trial • suit
5. Punishment: an act or a way of punishing somebody
• He was sent to his room as a punishment.
i. Word Family
• Castigation • Penalty •Chastisement • Sentence

6. Capital punishment: punishment by death
• Do I believe capital punishment is a good idea?
i. Word Family
• death penalty

7. Corporal punishment: the physical punishment of people, especially by hitting them
• Not even people serving in the armed forces receive corporal punishment, I know and have served, why should kids?
i. Word family
• lashing • beating •whipping • thrashing • caning • horsewhipping • flagellation • flailing

8. Remand home: a detention home for juvenile offenders aged 8–16 years.
• Her sentence was stay in a remand home because she was just a child

9. Solicitor: a lawyer who prepares legal documents, for example for the sale of land or buildings, advises people on legal matters, and can speak for them in some courts oflaw
• The trainee works closely with a partner or qualified solicitor in each seat.
i. Word Family
• Counsel • Lawyer • Jurist • Attorney • Barrister • counsellor

10. Trial: a formal examination of evidence in court by a judge and often a jury, to decide if somebody accused of a crime is guilty or not
• Trial by jury is not the way to cut crime.
i. Word Family
• examination • tryout• test • experiment

11. Verdict: a decision that is made by a jury in court, stating if somebody is considered guilty of a crime or not
• A formal not guilty verdict was returned on a 10th count of indecent assault, for which the crown offered no evidence.
i. Word Family
• conclusion • judgment • result • decision

12. Witness: a person who sees something happen and is able todescribe it to other people
• It should also have the power to call on experts, or summon witnesses if appropriate, to help in such work.
i. Word Family
• Attest • Certify • Vouch • Swear • Testify • Depose • Spectator • eyewitness


1. Arrest: (verb) seize somebody by the authory of the law.
(noun) act of arresting
• Arrestee: (noun)a person who has been or is being legally arrested
•Arrestingly: (adverb)

2. Ban: (verb) forbid something officially .
(noun) official rule that forbids somthing.

3. Break-in: (noun) entry into a building by force, especially to steal something.

4. Break out: (verb) to escape from a prison.

5. Break the law: (verb) do sth illegal, commit a crime.
• Lawbreaker : a person who break the law.
• Lawbreaking: (noun and adjective)

6.Burgle: (verb) (british term) break into a building to steal things.
• Burglarize: north american term for burgle. e.g. my neighbour’s home was burglarized and many things were stolen.
• Burglarious: (adjective) involving or resembling burglary.
• Burglar: (noun) a person who commit burglary.
• Burglary: (noun) illegal entry into a building to commit a crime such as theft.

7. Charge:...