Crime & Law

20 words

1. 1

   criminal justice systemcollocation/ˈkrɪmɪnəl ˈdʒʌstɪs ˈsɪstəm/

   The network of agencies (police, courts, prisons, etc.) that handle crime and punishment.

   “Reforming the criminal justice system is essential to reduce reoffending.”

2. 2

   domestic violencecollocation/dəˈmɛstɪk ˈvaɪələns/

   Violent behaviour that happens between family members, especially between partners or towards children.

   “Local shelters provide immediate support to victims of domestic violence.”

3. 3

   sexual assaultcollocation/ˈsɛkʃuəl əˈsɔːlt/

   Any unwanted sexual act or contact performed without consent; a legal term covering non-consensual touching up to rape.

   “Universities must take allegations of sexual assault seriously and offer support to students.”

4. 4

   trial by jurycollocation/ˈtraɪəl baɪ ˈdʒʊərɪ/

   A court trial in which a jury of peers decides the verdict.

   “In some countries defendants have the right to a trial by jury for serious offences.”

5. 5

   impartial jurycollocation/ɪmˈpɑːʃəl ˈdʒʊəri/

   A jury that is unbiased and makes decisions based on evidence, not prejudice.

   “Ensuring an impartial jury is a cornerstone of a fair trial.”

6. 6

   exculpatory evidencecollocation/ɪkˈskʌlpəˌtɔːri ˈevɪdəns/

   Evidence that tends to show a defendant's innocence or reduce culpability.

   “The defence argued that the prosecution suppressed exculpatory evidence.”

7. 7

   access to justicenoun phrase/ˈæk.ses tə ˈdʒʌs.tɪs/

   the ability for people to use the legal system to resolve disputes or protect rights

   “Rural communities often face barriers to access to justice due to distance and cost.”

8. 8

   civil lawsuitcollocation/ˈsɪvəl ˈlɔːs(j)uːt/

   A non-criminal legal action in which one party sues another for compensation or remedy.

   “She filed a civil lawsuit against the company for breach of contract.”

9. 9

   motive for the crimecollocation/ˈməʊtɪv fɔː ðə kraɪm/

   The reason or motive behind why someone committed an offence.

   “Police investigators searched for a motive for the crime before making arrests.”

10. 10

    legal aidnoun phrase/ˈliːɡəl eɪd/

    free or low-cost legal help for people who cannot afford a lawyer

    “Many defendants rely on legal aid when facing court without enough money for a lawyer.”

11. 11

    legal precedentnoun phrase/ˈliːɡəl ˈprɛsɪdənt/

    a previous court decision that is used as a rule for deciding similar later cases

    “The court relied on a long-established legal precedent.”

12. 12

    miscarriage of justicenoun phrase/mɪsˈkærɪdʒ əv ˈdʒʌstɪs/

    a serious error in the legal process that results in an innocent person being convicted

    “New DNA tests revealed a miscarriage of justice in the decades-old murder case.”

13. 13

    search warrantnoun phrase/sɜːrtʃ ˈwɒr(ə)nt/

    a legal document authorising police to search premises or property

    “Police obtained a search warrant before entering the house.”

14. 14

    victim impact statementnoun phrase/ˈvɪktɪm ˈɪmpækt ˈsteɪtmənt/

    a written or spoken statement by a victim describing how a crime affected them, often used during sentencing

    “The court allowed the family to read a victim impact statement during sentencing.”

15. 15

    probable causenoun phrase/ˈprɒbəbəl kɔːz/

    a reasonable ground to believe that a person has committed a crime or that evidence is present, justifying legal action

    “Officers must show probable cause before obtaining a warrant.”

16. 16

    restorative justicenoun phrase/rɪˈstɒrətɪv ˈdʒʌstɪs/

    an approach to crime that focuses on repairing harm and reconciling victims and offenders rather than punishment

    “The school introduced restorative justice circles to reduce bullying and rebuild relationships.”

17. 17

    chain of custodynoun phrase/tʃeɪn əv ˈkʌstədi/

    the documented process that records the handling of evidence to prevent tampering or contamination

    “Prosecutors must prove the chain of custody for the DNA samples.”

18. 18

    criminal negligencenoun phrase/ˈkrɪmɪnəl ˈnɛɡlɪdʒəns/

    a serious form of carelessness that is so extreme it can lead to criminal charges

    “He was charged with criminal negligence after the safety checks were ignored.”

19. 19

    mandatory minimum sentencenoun phrase

    a legally required minimum prison term that judges must impose for certain offences

    “Critics say mandatory minimum sentences remove judicial discretion and can lead to unfairly long terms.”

20. 20

    pre-trial detentionnoun phrase/priː ˈtraɪəl dɪˈtɛnʃən/

    holding a suspect in custody before their trial takes place

    “Human rights groups protested against months of pre-trial detention without formal charges.”