Seeking Justice

innocent

not guilty of a crime or wrongdoing — e.g. "The defendant was found innocent and released immediately."

jury

a group of ordinary people chosen to listen to the facts of a court case and decide if someone is guilty — e.g. "The jury reached a verdict after two days of discussion."

witness

a person who sees an event happen, or someone who gives evidence in court — e.g. "The witness described exactly what she saw that night."

defendant

the person who is accused of a crime and is on trial in a court of law — e.g. "The defendant pleaded not guilty to all charges."

send somebody to prison

to officially order someone to go to prison as punishment for a crime — e.g. "The judge sent him to prison for five years."

see something from someone's perspective

to try to understand a situation the way another person experiences it — e.g. "It's important to see things from the victim's perspective."

sentence

to officially give someone a legal punishment after they have been found guilty — e.g. "She was sentenced to three years in prison."

commit a crime

to do something that is illegal — e.g. "He committed the crime out of desperation."

accuse someone of something

to say that someone has done something wrong or illegal — e.g. "She accused him of stealing money from the company."

charge

to officially tell someone they are suspected of committing a crime — e.g. "He was charged with fraud."

poverty

the state of being very poor and not having enough money to meet basic needs — e.g. "Poverty is one of the main factors linked to higher crime rates."

crime

an action that is illegal and can be punished by law — e.g. "The government introduced new measures to reduce crime in the city."