T

CRIME AND
PUNISHMENT

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1BNX-96DE-91FU

1 Warm up

Discuss the following questions.

1. Do you think crime is a serious problem in your country?

2. How do you think crime should be punished?
3. Do you think the punishment should fit the crime? Why or why not?
4. Do you think the death penalty is an appropriate form of punishment?
5. Have you or anyone you know ever been the victim of a crime? How did you/they handle it?

2 Classify the crimes

Part A: In pairs, discuss which crimes are serious and which are petty:

arson bribery burglary drink driving drug dealing

drug possession fraud hacking kidnapping manslaughter
murder pick pocketing robbery shoplifting terrorism

1. offences:

2. misdemeanours:

Can you think of any other crimes to add to the list?

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Part B: Now put the vocabulary from Part A into the correct gaps in the following sentences. Note that
only eight words are needed.

1. A person may be charged with if they cause someone’s death through

recklessness or negligence.

2. Engaging in can have serious consequences, including accidents,

injuries, and fatalities.

3. Someone who commits may be motivated by a desire to cause

harm or destruction.

4. Possessing drugs is illegal, if caught, a person may be charged with .

5. Many people take steps to secure their homes and businesses to protect themselves against
.

6. Some people use as a way to get ahead, but it is a dishonest and

illegal behaviour.

7. The crime of is particularly traumatic for the victim and their family.

8. In some countries, is a common occurrence in the political and

business worlds.

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3 Criminals
Complete the sentences below with appropriate words from the table in their correct form.

Crime Criminal What does he/she do?

burglary a burglar burgles houses

pickpocketing a pickpocket pickpockets people

arson an arsonist sets buildings on fire

robbery a robber robs people and places

mugging a mugger mugs people

blackmail a blackmailer blackmails people

kidnapping a kidnapper kidnaps people

perjury a perjurer lies in court

fraud a fraudster deceives people

smuggling a smuggler smuggles illegal goods

1. Dan was caught trying to cocaine into the country. He is currently

serving a 5-year prison sentence.

2. This town is getting really dangerous. Yesterday, I was in broad

daylight. The attacker had a knife and took all my money.

3. The police are looking for the person responsible for burning down the church. They are confident they
will catch the .

4. Hold on to your wallet. There are a lot of on the train.

5. Joe was on his way to work. The

contacted his wife and demanded a ransom of $1 million.

6. James was found guilty of . It was obvious that he was lying under
oath.

7. A broke into my flat while I was at work and stole my entire music
collection.

8. Do not try to hide your true income from the government. Tax
is a very serious crime.

9. Sandra is trying to Tom. She says he has to pay her $1000 or she
will tell his wife about his affair.

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4 Punishments

Look at the list of punishments below. In pairs, put them in order from 1 (most lenient) to 6 (most
severe):

the death penalty

life imprisonment

a 5-year prison sentence

community service

a $500 fine

1 a caution

In pairs, discuss what punishments are normally given in your countries for people who are found guilty
of the crimes on the first page. For example:

"If you are found guilty of murder, the punishment is usually life imprisonment." "If

you are caught smuggling illegal drugs, you can get a 10-year prison sentence."

5 In court

Part A: What do people do in a court of law? Complete the following definitions.

give a punishment guilty of a crime not guilty of a crime

officially state person is guilty the court

1. plead guilty/not guilty - that you are guilty/not guilty of a crime

2. sentence somebody - officially to a person who is found guilty of a

crime

3. give testimony - tell what you saw/know

4. reach a verdict - arrive at a decision about whether a or not guilty

of a crime

5. acquit somebody - officially decide that someone is

6. convict somebody - officially decide that someone is

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Part B: In pairs, match the following people with their typical functions and activities in a court of law.

1. a defence lawyer a. listens to arguments, hears evidence, deals with crimes that
are not serious
2. a defendant b. pleads guilty/not guilty, gives testimony

3. a prosecutor c. argues that someone is guilty of committing a crime

4. a judge d. represents someone accused of a crime, argues that

someone is not guilty of committing a crime
5. a magistrate e. gives testimony to the court

6. a witness f. listen to the facts/arguments, reach a verdict, convict/acquit

someone who is charged with a serious crime
7. the jury g. listens to arguments, hears evidence, sentences a guilty
person

Part C: Think about a well-known court case. Who was the defendant? What crime was he/she
charged with? Did he/she plead guilty or not guilty? Who gave testimony? What was the verdict - did
the jury acquit or convict the defendant? What sentence did the judge give?

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6 Listening for gist

Listen to the podcast with a criminal defence attorney and choose the correct answers.

1. What is the main topic of the podcast?

a. legal terminology

b. how to plead guilty in a criminal case

c. types of crimes and their punishments

2. What is the punishment for misdemeanors?

a. fines and imprisonment for more than a year

b. fines and/or up to a year in jail

c. community service

3. What happens if a defendant pleads not guilty?

a. the case goes to trial

b. the judge will decide on the punishment

c. they are immediately sentenced

4. What is the definition of aggravated assault?

a. a crime that involves causing serious bodily harm to someone, often with a weapon

b. a crime that involves intentionally setting fire to someone’s home or place of business

c. a crime that involves deception and trickery for personal gain

5. What is the process after a defendant is found guilty?

a. they are sentenced to community service

b. the case goes to trial

c. the judge moves on to sentencing

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7 Listening comprehension

Listen to the podcast again and decide if the following statements are true (T) or false (F) .

Group A:

1. A defendant who pleads guilty is admitting to committing the crime they are accused of.

2. Misdemeanours are more serious crimes than felonies.

3. Aggravated assault is a type of crime that involves causing serious bodily harm to someone, often with a
weapon.

4. If a defendant is found not guilty, they are considered innocent and will not be punished.

5. During a trial, the prosecution and defence will present their evidence and witnesses.

Group B:

1. If a defendant is found guilty, they are convicted of the crime and the judge will move on to
sentencing.

2. A defendant who pleads not guilty will not go to trial.

3. The jury or judge will reach a verdict on whether the defendant is guilty or not guilty.

4. A defendant who pleads guilty will automatically be sentenced without a trial.

5. Felonies are punishable by imprisonment for less than a year.

8 Talking point

Discuss the following questions.

1. Have you ever given testimony in a court of law?

2. Is crime a problem in your hometown or country? What are the reasons for this?
3. Do you think sentencing a criminal to prison is always an effective punishment?

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Transcripts

6. Listening for gist

Angus: Welcome to today’s episode of "Legal Matters," where we discuss all things law and justice. I’m
your host, Angus, and with me, today is Helen, a criminal defence attorney. Thanks for joining
us today, Helen.

Helen: Thanks for having me, Angus.

Angus: So, Helen, let’s start with a basic question: what happens when a defendant pleads guilty in a
criminal case?

Helen: When a defendant pleads guilty, it means that they are admitting to committing the crime they
are accused of. This can happen at any point during the legal process, even before the trial
starts. If the defendant pleads guilty, the judge will usually move on to sentencing, which is the
punishment for the crime.

Angus: And what types of crimes can a person be charged with?

Helen: There are many different types of crime that a person can be charged with, including
misdemeanours and felonies. Misdemeanours are less serious crimes and are usually
punishable by fines and/or up to a year. Felonies are more serious crimes, such as murder or
aggravated assault, and are punishable by imprisonment for more than a year. Aggravated
assault is a type of crime that involves causing serious bodily harm to someone, often with a
weapon.

Angus: I see. And what happens if the defendant pleads not guilty?

Helen: If the defendant pleads not guilty, the case will proceed to trial. During the trial, the
prosecution will present their evidence and witnesses, and the defence will have the opportunity
to do the same. The jury or judge will then reach a verdict on whether the defendant is guilty or
not guilty.

Angus: And what happens if the defendant is found not guilty?

Helen: If the defendant is found not guilty, it means that they are acquitted of the crime and are
considered innocent. They will not be punished.

Angus: And what about if the defendant is found guilty?

Helen: If the defendant is found guilty, they are convicted of the crime. The judge will then move on to
sentencing, where they will decide on the appropriate punishment for the crime.

Angus: Thanks for explaining the process to us, Helen. That was very helpful.

Helen: No problem Angus. It’s always important to understand how the legal system works.

Angus: Well, that’s all the time we have for today. Thanks again to Helen for joining us. Until next time,
I’m Angus and this is "Legal Matters."

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TEACHER · UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)
MATERIALS
CRIME AND PUNISHMENT

Key

1. Warm up

5 mins.
Allow the students a few minutes to discuss the questions to warm into the topic.

2. Classify the crimes

Part A:
5 mins.
Go through the different terms. The classification of some of the crimes, eg: bribery, hacking and drug possession, is
open to debate depending on the seriousness of the crime or a particular country’s legal system. Possible answers:

1. OFFENCES: murder ≀ manslaughter ≀ fraud ≀ drug dealing ≀ kidnapping ≀ burglary ≀ robbery

≀ arson ≀ drink driving ≀ terrorism
2. MISDEMEANOURS: pick pocketing ≀ drug possession ≀ shoplifting ≀ bribery ≀ hacking
Part B:
5 mins.
Students now complete the gaps in the sentences.

1. manslaughter 2. drink driving 3. arson 4. drug possession

5. burglary 6. fraud 7. kidnapping 8. bribery

3. Criminals

10 mins.
Go through the table and explain the meaning of all the terms. In the sentences on page 2, pre-teach the expressions
‘in broad daylight’ and ‘under oath’.

1. smuggle 2. mugged 3. arsonist

4. pickpockets/pick-pocketer 5. kidnapped ≀ kidnapper 6. perjury
7. burglar 8. fraud 9. blackmail

4) Some countries use pick-pockter too.

4. Punishments

5 mins.
Go through the punishments and explain any terms the students are unfamiliar with.

a caution
a $500 fine
community service
a 5-year prison sentence life
imprisonment
the death penalty

FOOOOTERAP PE NDIXRIGH
Learn without forgetting! ix
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5. In court

Part A:
5 mins.
Students complete the definitions with the given phrases.

1. officially state 2. give a punishment 3. the court

4. person is guilty 5. not guilty of a crime 6. guilty of a crime
Part B:
5 mins.
Now students match people with their typical functions in court of law.

1. → d. 2. → b. 3. → c. 4. → g. 5. → a. 6. → e. 7. → f.
Then ask students to discuss in pairs a court case that they know of, answering the questions in Part C. 5 mins.

6. Listening for gist

5 mins.
Students listen to the recording once and they pick the correct answers.

1. c. 2. b. 3. a. 4. a. 5. c.

7. Listening comprehension

5 mins.
Allow students to read the statements before listening to the recording again. You can split them into two groups (A or B).
Then students should decide if the questions are true or false.
Group A:

1. True - "When a defendant pleads guilty, it means that they are admitting to committing the crime"
2. False -"Misdemeanors are less serious crimes ..."
3. True - "Aggravated assault is a type of crime that involves causing serious bodily harm to someone, often with a
weapon."
4. True - "... it means that they are acquitted of the crime and are considered innocent. They will not be punished."
5. True - "During the trial, the prosecution will present their evidence and witnesses ..."
Group B:

1. True - "... they are convicted of the crime. The judge will then move on to sentencing ..."
2. False - "If the defendant pleads not guilty, the case will proceed to trial."
3. True - "The jury or judge will then reach a verdict on whether the defendant is guilty or not guilty."
4. False - "If the defendant pleads guilty, the judge will usually move on to sentencing"
5. False - "Felonies are more serious crimes, such as murder or aggravated assault, and are punishable by
imprisonment for more than a year."

8. Talking point

5 mins.
Ask students to discuss the questions in pairs or small groups. Circulate and help as needed.