Understanding Crime and Legal Terms: A Comprehensive List
Key Crime and Legal Vocabulary
- Burglary: Robbery (breaking into a house)
- Murder: Killing someone
- Kidnapping: Abduction
- Arson: Intentionally setting fire to property
- Vandalism: Willful destruction of property (e.g., graffiti)
- Bribery: Offering money or favors to influence a decision
- Pickpocketing: Stealing from someone’s pocket or bag
- Hijacking: Taking control of a vehicle by force
- Shoplifting: Stealing goods from a store
- Assault: A physical attack
- Perpetrator: Offender, criminal
- Blackmail: Extortion by threatening to reveal secrets
- Victim: A person harmed by a crime
- Crime: An illegal act
- Rape: Sexual assault
- Robbery: Theft using force or threat of force
- Steal: To take something without permission
- Judge: A court official who presides over cases
- Court: A place where legal cases are heard
- Lawyer: A legal professional who represents clients
- Defense: The case presented by the accused person
- Prosecutor: A lawyer who represents the state in a criminal case
- Guilty: Responsible for a crime
- Innocent: Not responsible for a crime
- Theft: Stealing
- Bail: Money paid to release a suspect from custody before trial
- Dealer: A person who sells drugs (drug dealer)
- Death penalty: Capital punishment
- Parole: Conditional release of a prisoner before the end of their sentence
- Weapon: An instrument used to harm or threaten
- Fingerprints: Unique marks left by fingers
- Attorney: Lawyer
- Smuggling: Illegally transporting goods
- Torture: Inflicting severe pain as punishment or coercion
- Abduction: Kidnapping
- Speeding: Driving above the speed limit
- Terrorist: A person who uses violence for political aims
- Domestic violence: Abuse within a family or household
- Ransom: Money demanded for the release of a captive
- Mugger: A person who attacks and robs someone in public
- Forger: A person who creates fake documents or signatures
- Traitor: A person who betrays their country
- Bigamist: A person who is married to more than one person at the same time
- Deserter: A soldier who abandons their duty
- Assassin: A person who murders a prominent figure
- Witness (eyewitness): A person who sees an event (an eyewitness sees it directly)
- Sentenced to: Given a punishment by a court
- Guilty of: Found responsible for a crime
- Behind bars: In prison
- Commit: To carry out a crime
- Red-handed: Caught in the act of committing a crime
- Executed: Killed as a legal punishment
- Manage: To succeed in doing something, especially something difficult
- To try: To conduct a legal trial (tried: past tense of try)
- Shooting: An incident involving gunfire
- Gunshots: The sound or act of firing a gun
- To report (a murder): To inform the authorities about a crime
- Pleaded not guilty: Declared innocence in court
- Claimed: Asserted something as true
- Convicted of: Found guilty of a crime
- Jury: A group of people who decide a verdict in a trial
- Signature: A person’s name written in their own handwriting
- To bind: To tie up
- Infamous: Well-known for a bad quality or deed
- To forge: To create a fake copy of something
- Date rape: Rape by someone the victim knows, often during a date
Verbs, Criminals, and Crimes
| Verb | Criminal | Crime |
|---|---|---|
| Rape (to violate) | Rapist (violator) | Rape (violation) |
| Mug (to attack) | Mugger (attacker) | Mugging (attack) |
| Shoplift (to steal from a store) | Shoplifter (thief) | Shoplifting (theft) |
| Burgle (to break into a house and steal) | Burglar (thief) | Burglary (theft, break-in) |
| Smuggle (to illegally transport goods) | Smuggler (trafficker) | Smuggling (trafficking) |
| Blackmail (to extort) | Blackmailer (extortionist) | Blackmail (extortion) |
| Rob (to steal) | Robber (thief) | Robbery (theft) |
| Murder (to kill) | Murderer (killer) | Murder (killing) |
| Hijack (to seize a vehicle) | Hijacker (seizer) | Hijacking (seizure) |
| Forge (to fake) | Forger (faker) | Forgery (faking) |
| Kidnap (to abduct) | Kidnapper (abductor) | Kidnapping (abduction) |
| Steal (to take without permission) | Thief (stealer) | Theft (stealing) |
| Defraud (to deceive for financial gain) | Fraudster (deceiver) | Fraud (deception) |
| Kill (to cause death) | Manslaughter (unlawful killing without malice) | |
| Arsonist (person who commits arson) | Arson (intentionally setting fire) |
Forming Questions in English
Object Questions (OQ): Use an auxiliary verb.
Subject Questions (SQ): Do not use an auxiliary verb.
Examples
The car is in the garage.
- OQ: Where is the car?
- SQ: What is in the garage?
The caterpillar became a butterfly.
- OQ: What did the caterpillar become?
- SQ: What became a butterfly?
William has visited Spain.
- OQ: What has William visited?
- SQ: Who has visited Spain?
Albert met Sally at the station.
- OQ: Where did Albert meet Sally?
We are traveling with our children.
- OQ: With whom are you traveling?
I felt terrible after the funeral.
- OQ: How did you feel after the funeral?
Somebody kissed me.
- SQ: Who kissed you?
I kissed somebody.
- OQ: Whom did you kiss?
This car belongs to somebody.
- OQ: To whom does this car belong?
Somebody gave me the book.
- SQ: Who gave you the book?
This word means something.
- OQ: What does this word mean?
Structure of Research Abstracts
A statement describing the topic and the questions the research attempts to answer. Use the present tense (past tense can also be used when dealing with historical ideas).
A brief description of the methods. Use the past tense.
A brief statement of the major results. Use the present tense.
A precise indication of the conclusions. Use the present, future, or modal verbs.