IELTS Writing Task 2 Topic: Crime and Punishment Vocabulary
Updated On Sep 26, 2022
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Expressing views about crime and punishment.
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Law, Crime and the Legal System and its related issues rank among the top ten most common IELTS Writing Task 2 topics. Here is a set of useful collocations and phrases for IELTS writing task 2 on this topic. Learning these will help you familiarize yourself with the topic and give you some relevant ideas about crime and legal issues to write about.
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This post will cover a wide range of collocations and vocabulary related to crime and punishment that will enable IELTS candidates to boost their band score for IELTS writing to Band 7.0+
1. The crime rate: a measure of the number of crimes in a particular area during a period of time.
“The reduction of the crime rate is the main goal for lawmakers.
2. To commit a crime: does something wrong or illegal.
“In the US, a young person who commits a crime by stealing a car will almost certainly go to prison.”
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3. Prison sentence: the period of time served in prison under such as a sentence.
“It is the heated debate that government have to pass lenient laws that would avoid the prison sentence while others think it would increase the crime rate in our society.”
4. Deterrent: a punishment makes somebody less likely to do illegal activities.
“The death penalty acts as a deterrent to people who wish to bring drugs illegally into another country.”
5. Loss of freedom: Restriction, imprisonment.
“Loss of freedom is a punishment that offenders have to face when they go to jail.”
6. White-collar crime: Crimes committed by “office works”, for example, fraud.
“More and more employees who work in a bank turn into crime as white-collar crime.”
7. Be put on probation: To be under supervision to ensure their good behavior.
“Sometimes first-time offenders are not imprisoned but are put on probation for a set period of time to ensure their good behavior.”
8 . Social isolation: the state of separating somebody from our society.
“The offenders have to serve the prison sentence as the social isolation to remain safety of society.”
9. A violent criminal: Includes assault, mugging and robbery.
“A student who is bullied at school may turn into a violent criminal when they grow up.
10. Motive for crime: The reason why people commit crimes.
” A desire for revenge on his wife is a motive for his crime as murder. “
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11. Allay the fears: to make someone feel less afraid, worried.
“I believe that some solutions could help to allay people’s fears.”
12. Turn to a career of crime: become a criminal.
“Nowadays, in the harshly competitive labor market, the unemployment rate is rising rapidly, more and more people cannot meet the basic human’s need that is maybe a reason for them to turn to a career of crime. “
13. To be imprisoned: Go to a jail.
” Being imprisoned is the best way to punish offenders for their guilty. “
14. To breed future offenders: influence people, especially young people, in such a way that they later commit a crime.
“Parents should give more attention to their offspring in order to avoid breeding future offenders .”
15. Easy money: Money that you get without working hard for it, especially when you do illegal activities to get this money.
“To make easy money, the bank robbery have stolen two billion dollars from five international banks in this year.”
16. To break the law: do something illegal.
“If a person breaks the law , he is certainly imprisoned .”
17. To resort to crime: to use crime because there is no other solution.
“After losing all money from the game, the men resorted to crime to get easy money .”
18. Illegal activities: the illegal acts.
“It is alarming that more and more youngsters turn into i llegal activities. “
19. Fall foul of the law: to get into trouble with the police because you are doing something illegal.
“In Vietnam, if the company discharges the huge amount of untreated waste into rivers, they certainly fall foul of the law. “
20. Juvenile delinquency: Antisocial behavior committed by people under eighteen years old.
“It is true that juvenile delinquency rate is increasing alarmingly, which could jeopardize the social stability.”
21. Soaring crime rates: crime rates rising very fast.
Example: We are facing off soaring crime rates and it’s high time the criminals were brought to justice .
22. Miscarriages of justice: Situation where innocent people are found guilty.
Example: There have been a multitude of miscarriages of justice recently.
23. Trumped-up charges: invented and false accusations.
24. Face trial : face a legal court case.
Example: No one in the world should face trial on the basis of unreliable evidence or trumped-up charges.
25. Escape punishment: Not facing any consequences for a crime.
Example: The boys escaped punishment as they were related to the judge.
26. Custodial sentences: a sentence to be served in a prison or similar institution
27. Commit minor offences : Doing small crimes.
Example: While the rich always seem to escape punishment, poor people seem to receive custodial sentences even for committing minor offences
28. Extenuating circumstances: circumstances that lessen the blame
29. Serve out one’s sentence: serve the full amount of time
Courts and Trials
The trial was adjourned: the trial was suspended till a later time or date.
To be remanded in custody: send to prison until the trial begins or continues.
Dismiss the case: Decide that the case is not worth considering.
Unanimous verdict: verdict which all the decision makers agree to.
Beyond Reasonable Doubt : With full proof.
Contest the verdict: Disagree with the verdict and tried to change it.
Other Useful Expressions and Phrases for Crime and Punishment Topic :
- Capital punishments | Death penalty
- To sentence criminals to death
- A form of revenge
- A criminal record
- To engage in unlawful activities
- To re-offend
- Criminals = Wrongdoers = Lawbreakers = Convicts = Offenders
- Rehabilitated prisoners
- Community service
- Prison sentences
- Unlawful actions
- To deter/discourage people from doing something
- To send somebody to prison
Exercises :
Exercise 1: rewrite the underlined part of each of these extracts from conversations using the collocation below to make them sound more like extracts from newspaper reports..
Soaring crime rates Dismiss Escape punishment was adjourned
1. Why should young criminals get away without being punished for crimes just because of their age? 2. An increasing number of crimes per head of the population have been recorded in the last twelve months. 3 The judge threw out the case because he felt the evidence was not strong enough . 4 The judge said that the trial would now take place next month.
Exercise 2. Choose the correct collocation.
1. If you are remanded in custody, you are kept in prison/ obliged to pay some money/ allowed to go home. 2. Someone might get out of prison early for good/soaring / extenuating behavior. 3. If you serve out a sentence, you are kept in prison for the full amount of time / released from prison early /kept in prison for life. 4. If you get a custodial sentence, you only serve the sentence if you commit another crime / go to prison / have to do some community service.
Exercise 3. Correct the mistakes with prepositions in the collocations.
1 The witness appeared on court for the first time today. 2 He was put in trial for murder. 3 The murderer was soon brought into justice. 4 He was later remanded on custody. 5 The ease against Mr. Sharp was proved over reasonable doubt.
Exercise 4. Come up with Answers for the following topics related to Crime in IELTS Writing Task 2 and post it in the comment section below or on Writingielts.net to be checked and scored by IELTS experts.
Writing ielts task 2 topic 1 :.
Studies show that criminals get low level of education. Some people believe that the best way to reduce the crime is educating people in prison so they can get a job after leaving prison. To what extent do you agree or disagree? You can read Band 9.0 Sample Answer here .
Writing IELTS Task 2 Topic 2 :
In some countries, a high proportion of criminal acts are committed by teenagers. Why has this happened? What can be done to deal with this? You can read Band 9.0 Sample Answer here .
Writing IELTS Task 2 Topic 3 :
Some people who have been in prison become good citizens later. Some people think that having these people to give a talk to school students is the best way to tell them about dangers of committing a crime. Do you agree or disagree? You can read Band 9.0 Sample Answer here .
Exercise 5. Complete each sentence
1 He has been in court on several previous occasions but only for committing offences. 2 Unfortunately, there have been a number of……………………of justice recently. 3 The jury was quick to reach a……………………verdict, finding the accused guilty. 4 This is the sixth time the accused has………………….in court. 5 The lawyer claimed that there were some………………………circumstances. 6 The accused…………………. all knowledge of the crime, but no one believed her. 7 The newspaper said…………………. had been served by the conviction of Joe Lee. 8 Charles Weiss was…………………..damages for the injury he had suffered. 9 The trial has been………………….until next week.
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- crime of passion Meaning: refers to a crime, especially murder, caused by sexual jealousy Example: People who carry out crimes of passion often regret their actions later, when they reflect on what they have done.
- to serve a prison sentence Meaning: to carry out confinement in prison as a punishment Example: They are serving long prison sentences for their part in the assassination.
- to turn to crime/ drugs Meaning: To start committing crimes or using drugs. Example: During periods of high youth unemployment, some youngsters turn to crime to obtain money.
- to be tough on crime Meaning: To punish crime severely Example: The crime rate is likely to fall if governments take strong measures to be tough on crime.
- to contest the verdict Meaning: not agree with the decision of the jury after the trial of a case Example: In many countries, the accused person has the right to contest theverdict which was reached in the court.
- to take into consideration Meaning: to think about a particular fact or detail and allow it to have some influence when you are making a decision Example: The previous criminal records of those who are found guilty must be taken into consideration when a sentence is passed.
- to reintegrate back into society/community Meaning: to restore someone through education or therapy Example: There is an increasing focus among policy-makers and practitioners on identifying programs and strategies that will help prisoners successfully reintegrate back into their communities without re-offending.
- to be soft on crime Meaning: not to impose strict punishments on offenders Example: In order to deter criminals effectively, governments must not follow policies which are soft on crime .
- a policy of zero tolerance Meaning: a policy of applying laws very strictly, so that every illegal action is punished, even if it is not very serious Example: I would argue that the most effective way to reduce crime is to implement a policy of zero tolerance.
- a chance of rehabilitation Meaning: a chance of helping someone to have a normal life after serving a prison sentence Example: We should give ex-offerders a chance of rehabilitation and teach them how to become useful members of society.
- to embark on something Meaning: To start something new Example: Young people sometimes embark on a life of crime as a result of the bad influence of criminals whom they know.
- to make a fresh start Meaning: to try something new after making mistakes in one’s life Example: I believe that people should have the opportunity to make a fresh start after they are released from prison.
- to act as a deterrent Meaning: a measure which makes somebody less likely to do something Example: Longer prison sentences would act as a deterrent and would be one useful measure to tackle rising crime.
- to release back into society. Meaning: to give freedom to prisoners who have finished their sentences. Example: He was released back into society after serving two years of a five- year sentence.
- corporal punishment Meaning: to punish by physically harming the offender Example: Many schools have abandoned the policy of corporal punishment for children who misbehave and prefer to give extra work or detention after school instead.
- drug traffic-king Meaning: importing and selling illegal drugs Example: Some people argue that legalising drugs would put an end to the evil of drug traffic-king and the violence associated with it.
- a non-custodial sentence | Meaning: a sentence which is not served in prison Example: There is a wide range of non custodial sentences which a court may give to offenders, including: fines, probation orders or community service orders.
- to be found guilty Meaning: the court decided that the person did commit the crime Example: If people are found guilty of committing serious offences, heavy punishments should be imposed.
- the full weight of the law Meaning: all the strictest punishments available according to the laws of a country. Example: In order to deter crime, the full weight of the law must be imposed for all serious offences.
- to impose a ban on sth Meaning: to enforce an official rule which says that something is not allowed Example: Most governments have imposed a ban on the sale of tobacco to those aged under 16.
- to convict a criminal Meaning: to find an offender guilty and to punish them Example: Once the courts have convicted a criminal , the punishment should be severe.
- law-abiding citizens Meaning: people who obey and respect the law Example: The government could take some effective steps to protect law- abiding citizens .
- to enforce the law Meaning: to make sure that the law is obeyed Example: The role of the police and the courts is to enforce the law.
- capital punishment Meaning: punishment by death Example: In some states of America, those who commit murder are sometimes sentenced to capital punishment.
- forensic evidence Meaning: connected with the scientific tests conducted by the police when investigating a crime Example: Modern police methods include the use of forensic evidence , such as DNA samples, to investigate crimes.
- to instal surveillance cameras Meaning: to put cameras in a place where a crime is likely to be committed Example: The security company has installed surveillance cameras at all the entrances and exits of the shopping mall.
- to put on probation Meaning: to make a convicted person see an official at regular intervals to check on their good behavior, as an alternative to going to prison Example: The young offender was put on probation , as his crime was not serious enough to send him to prison.
- to punish wrongdoers Meaning: to punish people who do something illegal Example: Stricter measures must be introduced by governments to punish wrongdoers.
- to arrest suspects Meaning: to stop and hold people who the police think may have committed a crime Example: The government should give the police greater powers to arrest suspects.
- the letter of the law Meaning: the exact wording of the law, without considering any excuses Example: I believe that the courts must apply the strict letter of the law and impose the harshest possible sentences on criminals.
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