Vocabulary for IELTS (Academic) - Crime and Punishment

Here you will learn some English words about crime and punishment, such as "burglary", "murderer", "eyewitness", etc. that are needed for the IELTS exam.

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to arrest

[Verb]

(of law enforcement agencies) to take a person away because they believe that they have done something illegal

Ex: Authorities are currently arresting suspects at the scene of the crime .

attacker

[noun]

a person who intentionally harms someone physically

Ex: The security footage helped the investigators track down the attacker.

burglary

[noun]

the crime of entering a building to commit illegal activities such as stealing, damaging property, etc.

Ex: During the trial , evidence of the defendant ’s involvement in the burglary was overwhelming .

case

[noun]

a matter that is to be dealt with in a court of law

Ex: The jury deliberated for hours before reaching a verdict in the complex fraud case.

to commit

[Verb]

to do a particular thing that is unlawful or wrong

Ex: The hacker was apprehended for committing cybercrimes , including unauthorized access to sensitive information .

criminal

[noun]

a person who does or is involved in an illegal activity

Ex: The criminal confessed to robbing the bank .

criminal

[Adjective]

related to or involving illegal activities

Ex: Legal procedures ensure that individuals accused of criminal conduct receive fair trials and due process .

clue

[noun]

a piece of evidence that leads someone toward the solution of a crime or problem

Ex: The broken lock on the gate gave the police a clue about how the thief had entered the property .

illegally

[Adverb]

in a way that breaks or goes against the law

Ex: She was caught illegally selling counterfeit products online .

to investigate

[Verb]

to try to find the truth about a crime, accident, etc. by carefully examining its facts

Ex: Authorities are working to investigate the source of the contamination .

detective work

[noun]

the activity of trying to get more information or finding out the truth about something

murderer

[noun]

a person who is guilty of killing another human being deliberately

Ex: The documentary examined the psychology of a murderer, trying to understand what drives someone to commit such a crime .

punishment

[noun]

the act of making someone suffer because they have done something illegal or wrong

Ex: He accepted his punishment without complaint .

to shoot

[Verb]

to release a bullet or arrow from a gun or bow

Ex: The soldier shot from the crouch position , hitting the target .

victim

[noun]

a person who has been harmed, injured, or killed due to a crime, accident, etc.

Ex: Support groups for victims of crime provide resources and a safe space to share their experiences .

to appeal

[Verb]

to officially ask a higher court to review and reverse the decision made by a lower court

Ex: The defendant decided to appeal the verdict of the lower court in hopes of receiving a more favorable outcome .

to capture

[Verb]

to seize or get control of something by force

Ex: They captured the enemy base in a surprise attack .

to confess

[Verb]

to admit, especially to the police or legal authorities, that one has committed a crime or has done something wrong

Ex: If the evidence is strong , the accused will likely confess during the trial .

drug dealer

[noun]

an individual who sells illegal drugs such as narcotics, opioids, etc.

Ex: The novel portrays the life of a drug dealer who starts questioning the morality of his actions .

eyewitness

[noun]

someone who has personally seen of an object, event, etc. and can describe it

Ex: Despite being an eyewitness, he struggled to recall all the details of the incident .

innocent

[Adjective]

not having committed a wrongdoing or offense

Ex: The innocent driver was not at fault for the car accident caused by the other driver 's negligence .

investigation

[noun]

an attempt to gather the facts of a matter such as a crime, incident, etc. to find out the truth

Ex: Law enforcement officials are carrying out an investigation to uncover the truth behind the incident .

offender

[noun]

a person who commits a crime

Ex: Community service can be a constructive way for offenders to make amends for their actions and contribute positively to society .

robbery

[noun]

the crime of stealing money or goods from someone or somewhere, especially by violence or threat

Ex: The jewelry store was hit by a robbery in broad daylight , with expensive items stolen .

shoplifting

[noun]

the crime of taking goods from a store without paying for them

Ex: The security team implemented new measures to prevent shoplifting.

to suspect

[Verb]

to think that someone may have committed a crime, without having proof

Ex: The detective suspects the woman of being the mastermind behind the crime .

vandalism

[noun]

the illegal act of purposefully damaging a property belonging to another person or organization

Ex: Volunteers organized a cleanup effort to repair the damage caused by vandalism in the local park .

violence

[noun]

a crime that is intentionally directed toward a person or thing to hurt, intimidate, or kill them

Ex: The city has seen a rise in violence over the past few months , leading to increased police presence .

blackmail

[noun]

the crime of demanding money or benefits from someone by threatening to reveal secret or sensitive information about them

Ex: The police launched an investigation into a case of blackmail involving threatening letters sent to a local politician .

execution

[noun]

the act of punishing a criminal by death

Ex: The execution of political prisoners drew international condemnation from human rights organizations .

Vocabulary for IELTS (Academic)

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Vocabulary for IELTS (Academic) - Crime and Punishment