Crime and Punishment Vocabulary in English

Crime and punishment are two important topics that affect our daily lives. In this reference, you’ll find categories such as crime and punishment words, along with crime vocabulary paired with pictures and examples. Learning these words will help you to improve your ability to recognize and use crime-related vocabulary in different contexts.

List of Crime and Punishment Vocabulary
List of Crime and Punishment Vocabulary – Created by 7ESL

List of Crime and Punishment Vocabulary

  • Defendant
  • Suspect
  • Police officer
  • Detective
  • Gavel
  • Gun
  • Handcuffs
  • Jail
  • Fingerprint
  • Badge
  • Defense attorney
  • Witness
  • Court reporter
  • Judge

Crime Vocabulary with Pictures and Examples

Defendant

  • A person accused of a crime in a legal case.
  • Example: The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.

Defendant

Suspect

  • A person who is believed to have committed a crime, but has not yet been charged or convicted.
  • Example: The police are searching for the suspect in the robbery case.

Suspect

Police officer

  • A law enforcement officer responsible for maintaining public order and safety, often with the power to arrest and detain suspects.
  • Example: The police officer responded to the call and arrived at the scene of the accident.

Police officer

Detective

  • A law enforcement officer responsible for investigating crimes and gathering evidence, often with specialized training and skills.
  • Example: The detective interviewed witnesses and collected evidence at the crime scene.

Detective

Gavel

  • A small wooden hammer used by a judge or presiding officer to signal the beginning or end of a session or to call for order in court.
  • Example: The judge struck the gavel to bring the court to order.

Gavel

Gun

  • A weapon designed to fire bullets or other projectiles, often used by law enforcement officers or military personnel.
  • Example: The police officer drew his gun and aimed it at the suspect.

Gun

Handcuffs

  • A pair of metal restraints used to secure a person’s wrists together, often used by law enforcement officers to detain suspects.
  • Example: The police officer placed the suspect in handcuffs and led him to the patrol car.

Handcuffs

Jail

  • A facility used for holding and confining people who have been arrested or convicted of a crime, often with cells or dormitories.
  • Example: The defendant was sentenced to six months in jail for the theft.

Jail

Fingerprint

  • An impression or mark made by the ridges and patterns on a person’s fingertips, often used for identification or evidence in criminal cases.
  • Example: The detective collected fingerprint evidence from the crime scene to identify the suspect.

Fingerprint

Badge

  • A metal or plastic emblem worn by law enforcement officers to indicate their authority and rank, often with a name or badge number.
  • Example: The police officer showed his badge to the witness to identify himself.

Badge

Defense attorney

  • A lawyer who represents the defendant in a criminal case and argues for their innocence or reduced sentence.
  • Example: The defense attorney cross-examined the witness and presented evidence to support the defendant’s case.

Defense attorney

Witness

  • A person who sees or has knowledge of an event, often called to testify in court as a witness.
  • Example: The witness testified that she saw the suspect at the scene of the crime.

Witness

Court reporter

  • A person who records and transcribes the proceedings of a court case, often using a stenotype machine or other specialized equipment.
  • Example: The court reporter transcribed the testimony of the witness and the statements of the attorneys.

Court reporter

Judge

  • A public official who presides over a court of law and makes decisions on legal matters, often with the power to sentence defendants and interpret the law.
  • Example: The judge listened to the arguments of the attorneys and made a ruling on the admissibility of the evidence.

Judge

Crime Vocabulary Video

Rachel Moore

English Vocabulary

Rachel Moore is an experienced and dedicated English Vocabulary tutor based in the United Kingdom.

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