Crime

Upper-Intermediate Lesson 17

Today we are going to learn:

• How to talk about crime

• Vocabulary of crime and punishment

• History of crime and punishment in Great Britain

Exceptional London cop Nicholas Angel is involuntarily transferred to a quaint English village and paired

with a witless new partner. While on the beat, Nicholas suspects a sinister conspiracy is afoot with the

residents.

- Written by mystic80

conspiracy

noun [C or U]

UK /kənˈspɪr.ə.si/ US /kənˈspɪr.ə.si/

the activity of secretly planning with other people to do something bad

or illegal:

The three men are accused of conspiracy.

[+ to infinitive] She has been charged with conspiracy to murder.

Crime • An offence against the law

• Breach of law

• Violation of law

• Infringement of law

• Felony

• Misdemeanor

• Misconduct

Crimes against human life

• (Attempted) Murder

• Manslaughter

• Assassination

• Suicide

• Terrorism

Crimes against a person

• Assault

• Blackmail

• Rape

• Kidnapping

• Child abuse

• Domestic violence

• Negligence

Crimes against property

• Theft

• Burglary

• Hijacking

• Mugging

• Robbery

• Pickpocketing

• Shoplifting

• Identity theft

• Arson

• Trespassing

• Vandalism

White collar crime

• Bribery

• Nepotism

• Fraud

• Embezzlement

• Tax fraud/evasion

Crime Verbs

• Vincenzo and Irma committed a crime.

• They stole a Constable painting from the Gallery

of London.

• The police investigated the crime.

• Vincenzo and Irma were caught at the border.

• They were arrested and taken to a police station.

• The police interrogated them day and night.

• Finally they were charged with theft.

Court• Later Vincenzo and Irma appeared in court.

• Witnesses told the court what they have seen or knew.

• The judge examined all the evidence.

• After three days she found Vincenzo guilty.

• His fingerprints were found on the frame of the picture.

• The judge sentenced him to 15 years in prison.

• Irma was found not guilty. There was no proof that she

committed the crime.

• She was acquitted and allowed to go free.

The Old Bailey Courthouse

London's Central Criminal Court, 1673-1913

Bloody Code

• System of crimes and punishments in England in the

19th century;

• End of 18th century – 220 crimes punishable by death;

• Capital punishment for - treason, murder, espionage;

• Theft of goods worth more than 12 pence – about 5% of

weekly wages of a skilled worker;

• "Being in the company of Gypsies for one month";

• "Strong evidence of malice in a child aged 7–14 years

of age".

Punishments

• Hanging

• Branding

with hot iron (benefit of the clergy)

• Transportation to colonies

• Hard labour

• Imprisonment since 1779

Corporal punishment

Pillory Whipping

Modern punishments

• Community service (doing some work to

help society)

• A fine (£200)

• A prison term (e.g. two years in prison)

• A life sentence

• Capital punishment (abolished in 1965)

You be the judge

• Drinking and driving

• Selling drugs (heroin)

• Possession of a gun without a license

• Stealing 5,000 from a bank by fraud

• Stealing 5,000 in a bank robbery (gun)

• Stealing 5,000 from someone’s house

Today we have learned:

• How to talk about crime

• Vocabulary of crime and punishment

• History of crime and punishment in Great Britain