Dialogue 1 “An Interview”

Task: read the dialogue, reproduce it a)abridged, b) in the form of a monologue:

Reporter: We've got information you insist the number of the police be increased. Police are mainly concerned with crimes. Do you mean there are more crimes for the moment?

Sheriff: Exactly 'cause of the considerable increase in population. Our officers are engaged in gathering information for offences to be prosecuted in courts, in questioning people suspected of crimes. And our investigation department also deals with civil wrongs. Of course there are several sub-divisions within the department. We are in bad need of more people on personnel.

R.:   Do people tend to be less law-abiding?

Sh.:  The population has considerably increased and consequently the number of criminal and civil offences. And we need more people to control the actions of the public during public demonstrations and assemblies. Besides we don't have enough street rangers to support law and order.

R.: People believe the mere presence of the police is a factor in deterring wrong-doers from committing offences including traffic-offences. Do you regard the work of the traffic-police satisfactory?

Sh.: Sure. They manage their duties perfectly well. Our traffic police support law and order on the roads, make decisions as to guilt in driving offences, impose fines without the involvement of a court.

R.: Public cannot obtain any information on the investigation of the action against the police officer who overused his powers while questioning suspects. How is the investigation progressing?

Sh.: You must be aware the investigation is supervised by FBI officers. It is unbiased and professional. The information presented to the public on passing the case to the court will be comprehensive for we are interested in people's trust.

Useful vocabulary: to be concerned with, exactly, considerable, to be engaged in, to be in bad need of, on personnel, to tend, law-abiding, consequently, to support law and order, to deter smb. from, a traffic (driving) offence, involvement, to overuse one's powers, to be aware, to supervise, unbiased, comprehensive.

E x. 1. Do the translation making further use of it in your retelling:

1. Вы настаиваете на том, чтобы увеличить численность полиции.

2. Полицейские заняты сбором информации, допросом подозреваемых.

3. Существует ли тенденция к меньшему законопослушанию среди населения?

4. У нас не хватает патрулей для поддержания правопорядка.

5. Автоинспекция налагает штраф без привлечения суда.

6. Офицер полиции превысил свои полномочия.

7. Как идет следствие?

8. Оно – непредвзятое и профессиональное.

9. Информация будет всеобъемлющей.

E x. 2. Retell the dialogue in the form of a monologue using the following verbs:

To interview, to say, to wonder, to explain, to reply, to respond, to add, to confirm, to object, to agree, to regard.

Dialogue 2 “Supervision and Control”

Task: study a dialogue between a British and an overseas police officer:

F: Our police are strictly controlled by our authorities and on the part of the executive as well. Do you have any particular supervision body?	Ин: Наша полиция строго контролируется нашим руководством и со стороны исполнительной власти. Есть ли у вас специальный орган надзора?
Br.: You’ll make sure before long we aren’t suffering from lack and insufficiency of control and supervision. The Police Complaints Authority was set up in 1984 for this very purpose.	А.: Скоро вы убедитесь, что мы не страдаем от нехватки и недостаточности контроля и надзора. Именно с этой целью была учреждена Инспекция по жалобам на полицию в 1984 году.
F.: Do they investigate the cases of police misconduct and abuses?	Ин.: Они расследуют проступки и злоупотребления среди полицейских?
Br.: Not exactly. They supervise the investigation. And no police officer or former police officer can be appointed to the Authority.	А.: Не совсем так. Они надзирают за расследованием. И ни один полицейский, даже бывший, не может быть назначен в Инспекцию.
F.: Anyhow, I don’t think it’s easy to take a legal action against a police officer or to gather evidence.	Ин.: Однако, я полагаю, что нелегко возбудить правовой иск против офицера полиции или собрать свидетельства.
Br.: You mean we can interfere? Of course we can. But our authorities prefer to have an independent, honest police force. And the punishment might be harsh as well.	А.: Вы хотите сказать, что мы можем вмешаться? Конечно, можем. Но наше руководство предпочитает иметь независимую честную полицию. Да и наказание может быть серьезным.
F.: Do you remember any court case against a police officer?	Ин.: Вы не помните какое-нибудь дело против офицера полиции?
Br.: There’s one at the moment. A private legal action has been taken against a police officer in the tort of false imprisonment. You can be present at the trial one of these days if you like.	А.: На данный момент имеется одно такое дело. Был возбужден частный правовой иск против полицейского по деликту о неправомерном задержании. Вы на днях можете поприсутствовать на судебном разбирательстве, если хотите.
F.: Thank you.	Ин.: Спасибо.

E x. 1. Find English equivalents for the following:

Со стороны исполнительной власти, орган надзора, скоро вы убедитесь, именно с этой целью, была учреждена, проступки и злоупотребления, нелегко возбудить правовой иск против, на данный момент имеется одно такое дело, по деликту о неправомерном задержании.

E x. 2. Sum up the information you have learned. Use the following words and word combinations:

To be strictly controlled, on the part of, to make sure, to be set up, misconduct, an abuse, to appoint, to take a legal action, to gather evidence, honest, harsh, one of these days.

E x. 3. Insert the derivatives from the box:

conduct – misconduct; understanding – misunderstanding

treatment – mistreatment; informing – misinforming

reading —misreading

1. Legal systems usually have codes of conduct for the police. Any cases of police … are investigated under supervision of special bodies. 2. We appreciate understanding between our companies and realize any … might harm our business. 3. There is a special code regulating treatment of the suspect during the investigation. Courts do not admit evidence received by … of the person questioned by the police. 4. The parliament gave careful attention to the first reading of the bill. They are aware that … might result in serious misunderstanding of the document. 5. Timely informing of the events helps to control the situation and … in its turn gives rise to gossip and tension in society.

LISTENING COMPREHENSION

Text "Caution"

Part A Pre-listening activities

I. Make sure that you know the following words:

caution = warning (care)

to accord with = to correspond with

to mention = to say smth about (to refer to)

failure = unsuccessful attempt

to encourage smb to do smth = to back smb

to be fair = to be just (honest)

to charge = to blame

II. Before listening answer the questions:

a) Could you formulate the caution?

b) How does the caution sound in Britain?

Part B Listening activities

I. After you listen to the tape recording make brief notes to help you answer the following questions:

a) What are the words of the caution?

b) Why were the words of the caution changed?

c) Why are some British angry about the change of the caution?

II. Listen to the tape recording once more and fill in the gaps:

a) In 1994 the British government decided that ... contained in the caution made things too easy for criminals.

b) The words of the caution have had to be changed to ...

c) Civil liberties groups in Britain say that many arrested people find ... and that ... to defend themselves crimediately against charges about which they do not yet know the details.

d) The British are afraid that ...

e) For a long time the police formed what is technically known as ...,

which must be read to an arrested person in order to ...

Part C After listening activities

I. Summarize the information about the caution, you've come to know.

"Caution" (tapescript)

You do not have to say anything unless you wish to do so, but what you say may be given in evidence. These words are well-known to almost everybody in Britain. They have been heard in thousands of police dramas on television. For a long time they formed what is technically known as the caution, which must be read out to an arrested person in order to make the arrest legal. But, in 1994, the British government decided that the 'right to silence' contained in the caution made things too easy for criminals. The right meant that the refusal of an arrested person to answer police questions could not be used as part of the evidence against him or her. Now, however, it can.

To accord with the new law, the words of the caution have had to be changed. The new formula is: 'You do not have to say anything. But if you do not mention now something which you later use in your defence, the court may decide that your failure to mention now strengthens the case against you. A record will be made of anything you say and it may be given in evidence if you are brought to trial'.

Civil liberties groups in Britain are angry about this change. They say that many arrested people find it too difficult to understand and that it is not fair to encourage people to defend themselves immediately against charges about which they do not yet know the details. They are also afraid that it encourages false confession.