Vocabulary
Crime & law vocabulary for IELTS
Twenty clear words and collocations for essays about crime, punishment, the police and the justice system.
Crime and punishment essays usually ask whether prison works, why young people commit crime, or how to reduce it. These words cover causes, punishments and prevention. Practise by writing one balanced paragraph comparing prison with community service. Use formal, neutral language in essays; avoid slang such as cops or bad guys.
Common mistake: using "crime" and "criminal" incorrectly. Crime is the illegal act; a criminal is the person. Also write commit a crime, never do a crime or make a crime.
commit a crime
collocation
يرتكب جريمة
অপরাধ করা
अपराध करना
melakukan kejahatan
melakukan jenayah
अपराध गर्नु
අපරාධයක් කිරීම
جرم کرنا
phạm tội
犯罪
to do something illegal
“Young people who leave school early are more likely to commit a crime.”
law-abiding
adjective
ملتزم بالقانون
আইন মান্যকারী
कानून का पालन करने वाला
taat hukum
mematuhi undang-undang
कानुन पालना गर्ने
නීතිගරුක
قانون کا پابند
tuân thủ pháp luật
守法的
obeying the law and behaving correctly
“Most citizens are law-abiding and simply want to live in safety.”
deterrent
noun
رادع
নিবারক, প্রতিরোধক
निवारक, रोक
pencegah, efek jera
pencegah
निवारक उपाय
වළක්වාලන සාධකය, බාධකය
روک تھام کا ذریعہ
biện pháp răn đe
威慑因素
something that makes people decide not to do something
“Some argue that long prison sentences act as a strong deterrent.”
rehabilitation
noun
إعادة التأهيل
পুনর্বাসন
पुनर्वास
rehabilitasi
pemulihan
पुनर्स्थापना
පුනරුත්ථාපනය
بحالی
sự cải tạo, phục hồi
（罪犯）改造
helping someone return to normal life after prison
“Education in prison supports rehabilitation and reduces future crime.”
reoffend
verb
يعاود الإجرام
পুনরায় অপরাধ করা
फिर से अपराध करना
mengulangi kejahatan
mengulangi jenayah
फेरि अपराध गर्नु
නැවත අපරාධ කිරීම
دوبارہ جرم کرنا
tái phạm
再次犯罪
to commit another crime after being punished
“Prisoners who learn a trade are less likely to reoffend after release.”
prison sentence
collocation
حكم بالسجن
কারাদণ্ড
कारावास की सज़ा
hukuman penjara
hukuman penjara
कैद सजाय
සිරදඬුවම
قید کی سزا
án tù
徒刑
the amount of time a court orders someone to stay in prison
“He received a five-year prison sentence for fraud.”
community service
collocation
الخدمة المجتمعية
সমাজসেবামূলক শাস্তি
सामुदायिक सेवा
kerja sosial
khidmat masyarakat
सामुदायिक सेवा
ප්රජා සේවය
سماجی خدمت کی سزا
lao động công ích
社区服务
unpaid work helping society, given as punishment instead of prison
“Community service is a sensible punishment for minor offences like vandalism.”
juvenile crime
collocation
جنوح الأحداث
কিশোর অপরাধ
किशोर अपराध
kenakalan remaja
jenayah juvana
किशोर अपराध
බාල අපරාධ
کم عمروں کے جرائم
tội phạm vị thành niên
青少年犯罪
crimes committed by young people under adult age
“Juvenile crime often has roots in poverty and a lack of supervision.”
law enforcement
collocation
إنفاذ القانون
আইন প্রয়োগ
कानून प्रवर्तन
penegakan hukum
penguatkuasaan undang-undang
कानुन कार्यान्वयन
නීතිය ක්රියාත්මක කිරීම
قانون کا نفاذ
thực thi pháp luật
执法
the work of making sure people obey the law, mainly by police
“Better training for law enforcement officers could build public trust.”
petty crime
collocation
جريمة بسيطة
ছোটখাটো অপরাধ
छोटे-मोटे अपराध
kejahatan ringan
jenayah kecil
सानातिना अपराध
සුළු අපරාධ
معمولی جرائم
tội phạm vặt
轻微犯罪
small, less serious crimes like pickpocketing
“Petty crime such as phone snatching is common in crowded markets.”
offender
noun
جانٍ، مذنب
অপরাধী
अपराधी
pelaku kejahatan
pesalah
अपराधी
වරදකරු
مجرم
người phạm tội
罪犯；犯法者
a person who has committed a crime
“First-time offenders should be given a chance to change their behaviour.”
crack down on
phrase
يشنّ حملة صارمة على
কঠোর ব্যবস্থা নেওয়া
पर सख्ती करना
menindak tegas
membanteras
कडाइका साथ नियन्त्रण गर्नु
දැඩි පියවර ගැනීම, මර්දනය කිරීම
سختی سے کارروائی کرنا
trấn áp, mạnh tay với
严厉打击
to take strong action to stop a problem or crime
“The police have cracked down on drivers who ignore traffic signals.”
the death penalty
collocation
عقوبة الإعدام
মৃত্যুদণ্ড
मृत्युदंड
hukuman mati
hukuman mati
मृत्युदण्ड
මරණ දණ්ඩනය
سزائے موت
án tử hình
死刑
punishment by being killed by the state for a crime
“The death penalty remains a controversial issue in many countries.”
root cause
collocation
السبب الجذري
মূল কারণ
मूल कारण
akar masalah
punca utama
मूल कारण
මූලික හේතුව
بنیادی وجہ
nguyên nhân gốc rễ
根本原因
the basic reason something happens
“Unemployment is a root cause of crime in many poor neighbourhoods.”
surveillance cameras
collocation
كاميرات المراقبة
নজরদারি ক্যামেরা
निगरानी कैमरे
kamera pengawas, CCTV
kamera pengawasan
निगरानी क्यामेरा
සීසීටීවී කැමරා, නිරීක්ෂණ කැමරා
نگرانی کے کیمرے
camera giám sát
监控摄像头
cameras used to watch public places to prevent or record crime
“Surveillance cameras have helped the police identify many thieves.”
corruption
noun
الفساد
দুর্নীতি
भ्रष्टाचार
korupsi
rasuah
भ्रष्टाचार
දූෂණය
بدعنوانی
tham nhũng
腐败
dishonest behaviour by people in power, often taking bribes
“Corruption weakens public confidence in the legal system.”
legal system
collocation
النظام القانوني
আইনব্যবস্থা, বিচারব্যবস্থা
कानूनी व्यवस्था
sistem hukum
sistem perundangan
कानुनी प्रणाली
නීති පද්ධතිය
قانونی نظام
hệ thống pháp luật
法律体系
the laws, courts and processes of a country
“A fair legal system treats rich and poor citizens equally.”
harsh punishment
collocation
عقوبة قاسية
কঠোর শাস্তি
कठोर दंड
hukuman berat
hukuman berat
कठोर सजाय
දැඩි දඬුවම
سخت سزا
hình phạt nghiêm khắc
严厉惩罚
very strict or severe punishment
“Harsh punishment alone rarely solves the problem of drug-related crime.”
break the law
collocation
يخالف القانون
আইন ভঙ্গ করা
कानून तोड़ना
melanggar hukum
melanggar undang-undang
कानुन उल्लङ्घन गर्नु
නීතිය කඩ කිරීම
قانون توڑنا
vi phạm pháp luật
违法
to do something that is illegal
“Even small businesses sometimes break the law by avoiding taxes.”
victim
noun
ضحية
ভুক্তভোগী, শিকার
पीड़ित
korban
mangsa
पीडित
වින්දිතයා
متاثرہ شخص، شکار
nạn nhân
受害者
a person harmed by a crime or bad event
“Victims of online fraud often feel too embarrassed to report it.”