Match the crimes in the box to the descriptions (1-10).

arson burglary forgery hijacking mugging pick pocketing robbery shoplifting smuggling vandalism domestic violence

1. I caught him just as he was taking my wallet from my back pocket.

……………………………………..

2. The gang was arrested while trying to get diamonds and drugs into the country illegally.

……………………………………….

3. Terrorists ordered the pilot to fly the plane to another country. …………………………

4. The teens smashed windows and sprayed graffiti on the walls of the youth center.

…………………………………………..

5. The thieves held the bank manager at gun-point while they took the cash.

……………………………………..

6. When he broke the back window to get in, the alarm went off. …………………………

7. He was found guilty of coping classic paintings and trying to sell them as originals.

……………………………………….

8. The gang of youth was arrested for attacking the woman and taking her handbag.

…………………………………….

9. The two girls were found guilty of taking the item from the supermarket without paying for it.

……………………………………….

10. He had set fire to the forest just for fun. ……………………………….

11. The woman was often seen with bruises on her face. ……………………………..

6. Match the words from the box with the definitions.

the accused witness policeman jury judge defense lawyer prosecutor

1. somebody who has been charged with committing a crime
2. a professional who decides how a criminal should be punished
3. a professional who speaks for the accused and advises him/her in court
4. someone who has seen the crime happen
5. a group of people in court who decide whether somebody is innocent or guilty
6. somebody who is to deter people from committing crimes and to arrest those who break the law
7. a professional who represents the law in court

Read the text, learn the vocabulary and discuss

CRIME and PUNISHMENT

They say that criminal situation in the world is getting worse all the time. Unfortunately, there are a lot of types of crime. Let’s begin with thefts. Most people are afraid of burglary, when their houses or flats are broken into and valuable things are stolen. And also we can be attacked and robbed in a dark corner. Not less upsetting is pocketing. There are cases when people can be blackmailed and even kidnapped.

However, there are types of crimes which can be called social ones. First, it is vandalism, when people destroy monuments, tombs or draw graffiti over the walls.

There are also such types of crime as shoplifting, drug dealing and a set of economic crimes (forgery, fraud, arson and smuggling). Most awful is the rape, when women or children are sexually abused. The shock they get can later ruin their lives.

Next comes terrorism, it takes the form of bombing, shooting, hijacking, or assassination and it is always a deliberate use of violence against civilians for political or religious ends.

And finally comes murder. Murderers are the most dangerous criminals. As a rule, having committed one murder, they don’t stop.

Let’s speak about punishment. When a crime is committed, the police begin investigating it. If they are a success, the criminal is arrested and faces the trial. The juryfinds him guilty or not guilty. If the accused is found guilty, the judge passes the sentence on him. The accused has the right to apply to the higher court where his or her case will be heard again. In many countries the capital punishment or death penalty in other words, is abolished. So life sentence is the most severe punishment.

There are many reasons for crime. First of all, social scientists suggest that criminal behavior is due to social issues like unemployment, poor housing and lack of education. If a person remains unemployed for a long time it becomes difficult for them to support themselves. Some people may turn to crime as an easy way of making money. Another reason is advertising. TV advertising makes you want things you don’t really need. Some people end up stealing things they want, but they can’t afford. Some TV programs also play their role in the rise in crime among teenagers. Seeing violence so often on the television makes young people think that it’s all right, and makes them more likely to act in a violent way in real life. What’s more, criminals are often shown in a way that makes them and their lifestyle look glamorous and desirable.

To improve the situation we must fight crime by turning our attention to such issues and to improve society in general. Also some people believe that everyone should take responsibility for his or her actions and that crime cannot be excused because of poverty and lack of education. Such people argue that strong measures should be taken against the smallest of offences, so that the offenders do not move on from petty to more serious crime. One thing that all people agree on is that the fear of crime has a detrimental effect on society and communities should be helped to understand the real threat of crime in the area.

To sum up, I’d like to say that society should fight against any crime and no crime should be left unpunished. But even more important is that innocent people should never be found guilty.