CRIME

LET’S TALK

• Have you ever witnessed a crime? • Do you know anyone who was a

victim of a crime?• What do you think of the police, the

courts and the prisons in your country? What do you think should be done to improve them?

• Do you think there is more crime than in the past or less?

What happens when someone commits a crime? Put the following activities in the correct order. The first one has been done for you.

The convict is released on parole.The criminal commits a crime. 1The criminal goes to court.The criminal goes to prison.The criminal is released on bail.The judge passes a sentence.The jury finds the suspect guilty.The jury listens to the evidence.The jury reaches a verdict.The police arrest the suspect.The police charge the criminal.The police investigates.The trial starts.

The convict is released on parole. 13The criminal commits a crime. 1The criminal goes to court. 6The criminal goes to prison. 12The criminal is released on bail. 3The judge passes a sentence. 11The jury finds the suspect guilty. 9The jury listens to the evidence. 8The jury reaches a verdict. 10The police arrest the suspect. 2The police charge the criminal. 5The police investigates. 4The trial starts. 7

IDENTIFY WHERE THE STRESS IS IN THE FOLLOWING WORDS:

POLICE ARREST COMMIT JURYVERDICT PRISON PAROLE SUSPECT (N)SUSPECT (V) RELEASE CONVICT (N) CONVICT (V)GUILTY JUSTICE

Let’s talk part 2

• Should police officers be paid more? Would high salaries discourage corruption in the police?

• What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of being a police officer?

• What punishments, aside from imprisonment are carried out in your country?

• How should young offenders be dealt with? Should they be sent to prison?

• What do you think about the death penalty?

• If you found out that a family member committed a crime, what would you do?

• Would you like to be a police officer? Why or why not?

IDIOMSPHRASAL VERBS

Behind bars

• When someone is behind bars, they are in prison.

Cat burglar

• A cat burglar is a skillful thief who breaks into places without disturbing people or setting off alarms.

come down hard on (someone)

• scold/punish someone severely, attack someone vigorouslyThe judge came down hard on the boy who had been arrested for breaking into a house.

cross-examine (someone)

• question a suspect or a witness in a trial

The lawyer was very careful when he began to cross-examine the witness.

face the music

• receive punishment or judgment for something wrong or illegal that you have done

The young man was forced to face the music for the crimes that he had committed.

give (someone) a slap on the wrist

• give someone light punishment

The young offender was given a slap on the wrist by the judge but was required to do some community work ascompensation for his crime.

let (someone) off (easy)

• release someone without punishment

• The judge let the man off easy in spite of the strong case against him.

Serve time

• When someone is serving time, they are in prison.

on trial

• being tried in court

The man is on trial for stealing money from his company.

go scot-free/get off scot-free

• go unpunished or be acquitted of a crime

The lawyer was able to get off scot-free in the case involving his illegal transactions.

take the stand

• sit in the witness chair in a courtroom

The main witness at the trial took the stand after the other witnesses were finished.

take an oath

• make an oath, swear to something

Before the trial began I had to take an oath and promise to tell the truth.

throw the book at (someone)

• charge or convict someone of as many crimes or for as much time as possible

The criminal showed almost no remorse so the judge decided to throw the book at him.