In English, "crime" is an illegal action, and "law" is the system of rules that defines what is legal and illegal. A person commits a crime, and the police and courts enforce the law. "Criminal" describes actions or people connected to crimes, while "legal" describes actions permitted by law. These words often appear together, but they name different things: the act, the rule, and the system.

English often groups crimes by seriousness and context. "Violent crime" involves harm or threat to people, while "property crime" involves taking or damaging belongings. "White-collar crime" usually involves money and business dishonesty, and "cybercrime" involves computers and online systems. The same act can be described with different terms depending on what happened and who was affected.

Word/Phrase	Definition	Example
violent crime	crime involving physical harm or threats	Assault is a violent crime.
property crime	crime involving theft or damage to property	Burglary is a property crime.
white-collar crime	financial or business-related crime	Fraud is a common white-collar crime.
cybercrime	crime carried out using computers or the internet	Hacking can be prosecuted as cybercrime.

Crime and law vocabulary often focuses on roles. The "suspect" is a person the police think may be involved, and the "defendant" is the person accused in court. The "victim" is the person harmed, and the "witness" provides information. In court, the "judge" manages the trial and applies the law, while "lawyers" argue each side, and a "jury" may decide guilt in some cases.

Word/Phrase	Definition	Example
suspect	person believed possibly involved in a crime	Police questioned the suspect.
defendant	person accused in court	The defendant pleaded not guilty.
victim	person harmed by a crime	The victim called the police.
witness	person who saw or knows something relevant	A witness identified the car.
prosecutor	lawyer representing the state	The prosecutor presented evidence.
defense lawyer	lawyer representing the defendant	The defense lawyer challenged the claim.
judge	official who oversees court proceedings	The judge set the bail amount.
jury	group that decides guilt in some trials	The jury reached a verdict.

English separates police actions into stages: investigation, contact, and custody. Police may "investigate" by collecting information, "question" people, and "search" places when allowed by law. If there is legal justification, they may "arrest" someone and take them into "custody." "Charge" means the state formally accuses a person of a crime, often after an arrest but sometimes later.

Word/Phrase	Definition	Example
investigate	try to discover facts about a crime	Detectives investigated the robbery.
question	ask someone for information	Officers questioned the driver.
search	look for evidence in a person or place	Police searched the apartment.
arrest	take someone into custody	He was arrested at the scene.
custody	control by police after arrest	She is in police custody.
charge	formally accuse of a crime	They charged him with theft.

"Evidence" is information used to show what happened, and it can be physical objects, documents, recordings, or statements. A "testimony" is what a witness says in court, while "forensic evidence" comes from scientific analysis. "Proof" is a general word for convincing support, but legal systems often talk about meeting a standard such as proving something "beyond a reasonable doubt." Strong evidence supports a claim; weak evidence may raise questions but not confirm it.

Word/Phrase	Definition	Example
evidence	information used to support a claim	The evidence was presented in court.
testimony	a witness statement given in court	Her testimony was detailed.
forensic evidence	scientific evidence from analysis	DNA is forensic evidence.
surveillance footage	video recorded by security cameras	Surveillance footage showed the suspect.
beyond a reasonable doubt	high standard required to convict	The jury must be sure beyond a reasonable doubt.

A criminal case often moves through common steps with specific terms. An "arraignment" is a court hearing where the defendant hears the charges and enters a plea. A "trial" is where both sides present arguments and evidence, and a "verdict" is the final decision about guilt. A "sentence" is the punishment decided by the judge after a conviction, while an "appeal" is a request for a higher court to review the decision.

Word/Phrase	Definition	Example
arraignment	hearing where charges and plea are stated	The arraignment is scheduled for Monday.
plea	formal response to a charge	He entered a guilty plea.
trial	formal court examination of a case	The trial lasted two weeks.
verdict	decision of guilt or not guilt	The verdict was not guilty.
convict	officially find someone guilty	They convicted him of assault.
sentence	punishment given after conviction	The sentence included probation.
appeal	request a higher court review	She appealed the conviction.

English has different words for punishments and legal outcomes. "Fine" means paying money, and "community service" requires unpaid work. "Probation" allows a person to stay in the community under rules and supervision, while "parole" is early release from prison under conditions. "Acquittal" means the person is found not guilty, while "conviction" means the person is found guilty.

Word/Phrase	Definition	Example
fine	money paid as punishment	He paid a fine for the offense.
community service	unpaid work ordered by a court	She completed 100 hours of community service.
probation	supervised release instead of prison	He is on probation for a year.
parole	conditional early release from prison	She was granted parole.
imprisonment	punishment of being kept in prison	The law allows imprisonment for this crime.
acquittal	result of being found not guilty	The acquittal ended the case.
conviction	result of being found guilty	A conviction can affect employment.

Many legal terms describe a person’s mental state and how serious an act is. "Intent" means a plan or purpose to do something, while "negligence" means failing to take reasonable care. "Premeditated" suggests planning in advance, which can increase seriousness. Words like "felony" and "misdemeanor" are common categories, with felonies usually more serious than misdemeanors, though exact meanings depend on the country or state.

Rule	Example
Use intent for planned purpose	The prosecutor argued he had intent.
Use negligence for lack of reasonable care	The accident was caused by negligence.
Premeditated implies planning before the act	They described it as a premeditated attack.
Felony is typically more serious than misdemeanor	Theft can be a misdemeanor or a felony.

English separates "criminal law" and "civil law". Criminal cases involve crimes against the state or society and can lead to punishment like prison or fines. Civil cases are disputes between people or organizations, often about money or responsibilities, and outcomes may include damages or court orders. Some situations can involve both, such as an assault leading to a criminal case and also a civil lawsuit for damages.

Rule	Example
Criminal cases are brought by the state	The state filed criminal charges.
Civil cases are disputes between parties	She filed a civil lawsuit for damages.
Civil outcomes often involve compensation	The court awarded damages to the plaintiff.
One event can lead to both case types	There was a criminal trial and a civil claim.

In news and daily conversation, people often use simplified legal vocabulary. "Break the law" means do something illegal, and "press charges" means ask the authorities to start a case. "Plead guilty" and "plead not guilty" are common phrases for court. "Get away with it" means avoid punishment, while "serve time" means spend time in prison.

Word/Phrase	Definition	Example
break the law	do something illegal	You can be arrested if you break the law.
press charges	formally request prosecution	The victim decided to press charges.
plead guilty	say you are guilty in court	He pleaded guilty to the charge.
plead not guilty	say you are not guilty in court	She pleaded not guilty.
get away with it	avoid punishment	He thought he could get away with it.
serve time	spend time in prison	He served time for fraud.