Definitions

Question 1

What is the definition of a victim?

Answer 1

A victim is a person who has been attacked, injured or killed as the result of a crime, a disease, an accident, etc…

Question 2

What is the definition of a defendant?

Answer 2

A defendant is a person in a trial who is accused of committing a crime

Question 3

What is the definition of to confess?

Answer 3

To confess means to admit, especially formally or to the police, that you have done something wrong or illegal

Question 4

What is the definition of an arrest?

Answer 4

An arrest is where the police take somebody to a police station and keep them there because the police believe they may be guilty of a crime

Question 5

What is the definition of a prison?

Answer 5

A prison is a place for the confinement of person who are convicted of committing a crime

Question 6

What is the definition of a verdict?

Answer 6

A verdict is a decision that is made by a judge/jury in court, stating if somebody is considered guilty of a crime or not

Question 7

What is the definition of innocent?

Answer 7

If a person is innocent it means they are not guilty of committing a crime

Question 8

What is the definition of a sentence?

Answer 8

A set of words that is complete in itself

The punishment assigned to a defendant found guilty by a court or fixed by law for a particular offence

Question 9

What is the definition of a trial?

Answer 9

A trial is a formal examination of evidence in court by a judge and often a jury, to decide if somebody accused of a crime is guilty or not

Question 10

What is the definition of a witness?

Answer 10

A witness is a person who sees something happen and is able to describe it to other people

Question 11

What is the definition of fraud?

Answer 11

Fraud is the crime of cheating somebody in order to get money or goods illegally

Question 12

What is the definition of guilty?

Answer 12

If someone is guilty it means that they have done something illegal, or are responsible for something bad that has happened

Question 13

What is the definition of evidence?

Answer 13

Evidence is the facts, signs or objects that make you believe that something is true

Question 14

What is the definition of a barrister?

Answer 14

A barrister is a lawyer in Britain who has the right to argue cases in the higher courts of law

Question 15

What is the definition of a prosecution?

Answer 15

A prosecution is the process of being officially charged with a crime in court

Question 16

What is the definition of proof?

Answer 16

Proof is the informatiom, documents, etc.. that show that show that something is true

Question 17

What is the definition of to investigate?

Answer 17

To investigate means to carefully examine the facts of a situation, an event, a crime, etc… to find out the truth about it or how it happened

Question 18

What is the definition of a court?

Answer 18

A court is the place where legal trials take place and where crimes, etc.. are judged

Question 19

What is the definition of the Criminal Justice System?

Answer 19

The Criminal Justice Systems refers to the institutions responding officially to the commission of offences (such as the police, prosecution authorities, the courts),

Question 20

What is the definition of the Penal System?

Answer 20

The Penal System refers to the system into which an offender enters once he/she has been sentenced by a court.

Question 21

What is the definition of Civil Law?

Answer 21

Civil Law is a body of rules that delineate private rights and remedies, and govern disputes between individuals in such areas as contracts, property, and Family Law; distinct from criminal or public law. Civil law systems, which trace their roots to ancient Rome, are governed by doctrines developed and compiled by legal scholars. Legislators and administrators in civil law countries use these doctrines to fashion a code by which all legal controversies are decided.

Question 22

What is the definition of Criminal Law?

Answer 22

Criminal Law is a body of rules and statutes that defines conduct prohibited by the government because it threatens and harms public safety and welfare and that establishes punishment to be imposed for the commission of such acts.

Question 23

What is the definition of artefacts?

Answer 23

Any object made by human beings, especially with a view to subsequent use.

A handmade object, as a tool, or the remains of one, as a shard of pottery, characteristic of an earlier time or cultural stage, especially such an object found at an archaeological excavation.

Any mass-produced, usually inexpensive object reflecting contemporary society or popular culture

Question 24

What is the definition of Culture Production and Reproduction?

Answer 24

Culture being persistent but will vary from location to location and from time period to time period within the same location; it is produced and reproduced and alters over time

Question 25

What is the definition of bail?

Answer 25

Bail is the release of a defendant from custody until their next appearance in court

Question 26

What is the definition of a Community Sentence?

Answer 26

Community Sentences are alternatives to prison and are non-custodial options available to a court.

Question 27

What is the definition of Indictable Offences?

Answer 27

An indictable offences are criminal offences that can only be tried by the Crown Court

Question 28

What is the definition of Either-way Offences?

Answer 28

Either-way Offences are offences for which the accused may be tried by the Magistrates’ Court or in the Crown Court, where the defendant will be tried by jury

Question 29

What is the definition of an Arrest Warrant?

Answer 29

An Arrest Warrant is an order of the court for a person to be arrested in connection with a criminal offence

Question 30

What is the definition of Prevention?

Answer 30

Prevention works to protect the public by removing the criminal from society

Question 31

What is the definition of Deterrence?

Answer 31

Deterrence can be seen as putting people off committing crimes; it can be individual or general

Question 32

What is the definition of a Search Warrant?

Answer 32

A search warrant is an order of the court that permits the police to search premises to look for evidence in connection with a crime

Question 33

What is the definition of Burden of proof or “onus probandi”?

Answer 33

Burden of Proof or ‘onus probandi’ is the obligation to prove the defendant committed the crime.

Question 34

What is the definition of Rehabilitation?

Answer 34

Rehabilitation is the notion that the offender will be ‘cured’ of their criminal tendency and that there will be a restoration of, or improvement in, their ability to perform and function in society.

Question 35

What is the definition of a Summary Offence?

Answer 35

A summary offence is a criminal offence that can only be tried by a Magistrates’ Court.

Question 36

What is the definition of Standard of Proof?

Answer 36

Standard of Proof is the level to which the evidence must be proved to gain a conviction.

Question 37

What is the definition of discharge?

Answer 37

Discharge is a sentence where the offender is found guilty of the offence and the conviction appears on their criminal record. It may be absolute or conditional.

Question 38

What is the definition of retribution?

Answer 38

Retribution can be seen as the desire for revenge

Question 39

What is the definition of a custodial sentence?

Answer 39

A custodial sentence is a sentence of imprisonment, which might be immediate or suspended (able to be implemented later if necessary).

Question 40

What is the definition of Stare Decisis?

Answer 40

Stare Decisis is a legal principle by which judges are obligated to respect the precedent established by prior decisions

Question 41

What is the definition of Obiter Dicta?

Answer 41

Obiter Dicta means other things said

Question 42

What is the definition of Ratio Decendi?

Answer 42

Ratio Decendi means reasons for deciding

Question 43

What is the definition of Common Law?

Answer 43

The common law is a judge-made system of law because it was the judges who over many centuries were responsible for merging and developing the original laws and legal customs into this single system of law

Question 44

What is the definition of a law?

Answer 44

A body of rules, imposed and enforced, among the members of a given state.

Question 45

What is the definition of a stereotype?

Answer 45

A stereotype is a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing

Question 46

What is the definition of prejudice?

Answer 46

Prejudice is a preconceived opinion that is based on reason or actual experience

Question 47

What is the definition of equality?

Answer 47

Equality is the state of being equal. especially in status, rights, or opportunities

Question 48

What is the definition of fairness?

Answer 48

Fairness is treating people without favouritism or discrimination

Question 49

What is the definition of discrimination?

Answer 49

Discrimination is the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex

What we often describe is actually
prejudice and stereotypes.

Prejudice - type of attitude towards
members of a social group

Discrimination - a behavior or action arising from that attitude and directed towards members of a social group.

Discrimination is essentially ‘prejudice in
action’ (Baron and Byrne, 1994).