Crime & public security

offender/ culprit/ perpetrator

a person who commit an illegal act

capital crime

for which the penalty is death

petty crime

not serious

notorious crime

a crime famous for sth bad

alleged crime

accused but not yet proven

white-collar crime

non-violent for financial gains

first offender/ first-time offender

track down/ hunt down

search for somebody

hardened criminal

a criminal who is no longer likely to change

recidivist

a person who continues to commit crime

bring somebody to justice

arrest sb for a crime and put them on trial in court

imprison

put sb in a prison

restrict

limit or control sth

rehabilitate

return someone to a good condition after they’ve been in prison/ sick

lenient

not as strong in punishment as expected

delinquent/ juvenile delinquent

a juvenile who commit a crime

impulsive (adj)

doing things without thinking

deter

discourage someone from doing sth by making it difficult/ creating fear about the consequences

abide by

accept the decision

rampant

spreading everywhere in a way that cannot be controlled

status offenses

actions that are illegal because of the person’s age (wouldn’t be crime if adult did them)

inmate/ convicts

prisoner