Слова по теме criminal law

Criminal law	Уголовное право
Citizen	Гражданин
Crime	Преступление
To violate the law	Нарушать закон
To punish	Наказывать
Felony	Тяжкое преступление
Offence	Преступление
Misdemeanor	Мелкое правонарушение
Petty theft	Мелкая кража
Speeding	Превышение скорости
Criminal act	Преступное деяние
Criminal state of mind	Преступный умысел
To commit a crime	Совершить преступление
crime against person	Преступление против личности
crime against property	Преступление против собственности
crime against the public order	Преступление против общественного порядка
threat of force	Угроза насилия
Battery	Нанесение телесных повреждений
Rape	Изнасилование
Extortion	Вымогательство
Kidnapping	Похищение человека
Embezzlement	Растрата
false pretenses	Мошенничество
Forgery	Подделка
Rioting	Учинение массовых беспорядков
Treason	Государственная измена
“victimless” crimes	Преступление без потерпевшего
drug deals	Торговля наркотиками
legal system	Правовая система
guilty of a crime	Виновен в преступлении
prosecution	Обвинение
criminal case	Уголовное дело
defendant's guilt	Вина обвиняемого
Suspect	Подозреваемый
evidence	Доказательство
innocence	Невиновность
To convict	Осуждать
punishment	Наказание
Reformation	Исправление
restraint	Лишение свободы
retribution	Возмездие
rehabilitation	Перевоспитание
deterrence	Устрашение
life sentence	Пожизненный приговор
term of imprisonment	Срок тюремного заключения
suspended sentence	Условный приговор
probation	Испытательный срок
community service	Общественные работы
compensation	Компенсация
fine	Штраф

Вопросы для контроля и самоконтроля criminal law

1. What does criminal law concern?

2. What is a crime?

3. What are the elements of a crime?

4. What are the categories of crime?

5. How must the defendant’s guilt be proven?

6. What are the purposes of punishment?

7. What types of punishment do you know?

At the trial

1. Criminal procedure is a method provided for regulation of investigation and trial of persons accused of crime. Certain aspects of the law of investigation and trial are limited by the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution, which provides that persons shall be secure in their persons, houses, and effects, from unreasonable searches and seizures; that no person shall be put in jeopardy twice for the same offense; that defendants not be required to testify against themselves; that no one shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law; and that indicted persons are entitled to trial by jury, to the assistance of counsel, to be confronted by prosecution witnesses, and to have witnesses in their favor. The Bill of Rights also prohibits excessive bail, funds or property pledged to assure that the accused will appear in court for trial.

2. During the trial the counsels for the prosecution and for the defence present the case by questioning witnesses and permitting them to be cross-examined by the opposing counsel. A witness may tell only what he himself knows to be true. Hearsay evidence is not allowed. Hearsay evidence consists of statements made out of court by someone who is not present to testify under oath at a trial. The reason for the exclusion of hearsay is the practice of cross-examination of witnesses in open court by opposing lawyers. Written or oral statements made by a person not present cannot be subjected to cross-examination.

3. The judge can interfere if he thinks any of the questions are not relevant to the case. He always objects to the so-called “leading questions” - questions that suggest answers instead of asking for information. When all the evidence is given and the examination of the witnesses is finished, the judge calls the attention of the jury to all the important points in the evidence. The jury consists of 12 people (non-lawyers) between the ages of 21 and 65 years. The jury’s task is to listen to the evidence given by the witnesses under cross-examination and to bring a verdict either guilty or not guilty. The verdict must be unanimous.

4. If the verdict of the jury is “guilty”, the judge passes a sentence. If the prisoner is a habitual criminal, the sentence is likely to be more severe. A convicted person is entitled to appeal to the Court of Appeal. If the jury brings a verdict of “not guilty”, the defendant is discharged, the case is finished and cannot be reopened even if new evidence comes to light the following day. A defendant may never be tried a second time for an offence of which he has once been acquitted.