TEACHER’S

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT VOCABULARY

 Task 1

Put the words below into the correct category:

the accused/defendant arsonist (release on) bail blackmailer burglar defence

capital punishment community service corporal punishment find innocent/guilty
fine forger hijacker inquiry judge jury kidnapper lawyer mugger
murderer pickpocket prison sentence (put on) probation prosecution shoplifter
smuggler suspended sentence thief trial verdict witness testimony evidence
plead guilty prosecutor convict inquiries offence

Criminals Law courts Sentences & Punishments

The accused/defendant Defence (release on) bail
arsonist inquiry Capital punishment
blackmailer judge community service
burglar jury corporal punishment
forger lawyer find innocent/guilty
hijacker prosecution Fine
kidnapper trial prison sentence
mugger verdict (put on) probation
Murderer witness suspended sentence
pickpocket testimony convict
shoplifter evidence take into custody
Smuggler prosecutor inquiries
thief
plead guilty
offence

 Task 2

Correct the mistakes in these definitions:

1) The judge defendant pleads guilty or not guilty at the beginning of a trial.
2) The lawyer prosecutor tries to prove the defendant guilty.
3) The prosecution lawyers witness gives evidence about what they have seen.
4) If the defendant is found guilty, the jury judge passes sentence.

 Task 3

Complete the definitions with the words being defined:

a) .......... hijacker………………..... takes control of a plane or boat by force.

b) ........... witness ....................... sees what happens during a crime or accident.
c) ............ smuggler .................. brings goods into the country illegally.
d) ............ blackmailer.................gets money from others by threatening to tell secrets.
e) ..............burglar....................... steals from houses.

Try to define more words from Task 1.

  Task 4

Use the words in capitals at the end of the each line to form a word that fits in the space
in the same line.

At his last trial, nobody believad in Arthur’s 1.........innocence................... He had 1 INNOCENT

been accused of the
2 ......theft................................... of a valuable Chinese vase, and he was also charged 2 THIEF
with ten
other 3.......offences....................... . The value of the 4 ......stolen........................... 3 OFFEND
goods was said to be over
₤20,000. Arthur said in his own 5.......defence................................. that the vase had 4 STEAL
been put into his
car 6 .......accidentaly................................ . He also pointed out that the Chinese vase 5 DEFEND
was a fake, and was
almost 7........worthless........................... . The judge did not believe Arthur’s story. 6 ACCIDENT
He told Arthur he
was a hardened 8 .......criminal............................. and that he deserved a severe 7 WORTH
9....punishment........................... .
Then the judge sentenced Arthur to five years’ 10 .......inprisonment.......................... 8 CRIME
. Arthur just
smiled. He had spent most of his life in prison and so he was used to it. 9 PUNISH
10 PRISON

 Task 5

Read the following text and choose the correct alternative in each pair.

Last year my house was broken into and 1 robbed/stolen. I immediately informed the police. A
police officer came to the house and asked me to make a list of what had been 2 robbed/stolen. I told
him my neighbours had seen someone suspicious at the time of the 3 forgery/burglary, so they had
to go to the police station and 4 make/do a statement. About a month later, the police contacted me
to say they had arrested a 5 defendant/suspect. When the case came to court, I went to 6 give/tell
evidence. Of course, the man 7 admitted/pleaded not guilty. The 8 jury/lawyer decided there was
not enough proof to 9 try/convict him, and he was 10 let off/let go.

 Task 6

Choose the most appropriate word underlined.

1. The police arrested Jack and took him into custody / detention / prison.
2. In most countries, the capital/death/execution penalty has been abolished.
3. A man is said to be helping the police with their arrests/detection/inquiries.
4. The judge in the court was wearing a hairpiece/head-dress/wig.
5. I was given a light sentence because it was my first case/charge/offence.
6. The case was dismissed for lack of evidence/a jury/witnesses.
7. ‘Members of the jury, what is your answer/summary/verdict?’
Sources:
Vince, M.: Advanced Language Practice. MacMillanHeinemann Publishers Ltd, 1998.
Vince, M.: First Certificate Language practice. MacMillan Publishers Ltd, 2003.
Watcyn-Jones,P.: Test Your Vocabulary 4. Penguin Books Ltd,1988.
Wyatt, R.,Newbrook, J., Wilson,J.: New FC Gold. Longman, 2004