Criminology Vocabulary

Flashcards with vocabulary terms and definitions.

Incarcerate

A formal term often used in legal contexts; to imprison someone.

Imprison

To confine someone in a prison.

Detain

To hold or keep someone in custody, especially for a short period.

Lock up

A colloquial way of saying to put someone in prison.

Remand

To hold a suspect in custody while awaiting trial.

Consign to prison

A more formal way to express the act of imprisoning someone.

Take into custody

A phrase often used by law enforcement when initially detaining someone.

Put behind bars

A common idiomatic expression for imprisoning someone.

Confine

To restrict someone's freedom, applicable in the context of jail.

Culprit

Often used to refer to a person responsible for a crime or misdemeanor.

Delinquent

Commonly used for minor crimes, especially those committed by young people.

Malefactor

A formal term for someone who commits a crime or some other wrong.

Wrongdoer

A broad term that can apply to anyone who does something illegal or immoral.

Felon

Specifically refers to someone who has committed a felony, a serious crime.

Convict

A person found guilty of a crime and serving a sentence in prison.

Miscreant

A term that implies deeply immoral or wicked behavior.

Transgressor

Someone who violates a law or command.

Outlaw

Historically used to describe someone literally outside the law's protection; now, it often refers to someone involved in criminal activities.

Perpetrator

Commonly used in the context of discussing the person who committed a specific crime.

Violator

Someone who violates a particular law or regulation.

Offender

A general term for someone who has committed a crime.

Lawbreaker

Emphasizes the act of breaking the law.

jail

A place of detention where individuals are held either while awaiting trial or serving short sentences, typically for misdemeanors or lesser offenses.

prison

A facility that houses individuals who have been convicted of serious crimes, typically serving longer sentences.

bail

A sum of money or form of property that is deposited to a court to ensure that the accused will return for their trial after being released from custody.

probation

An alternative to imprisonment allowing a person found guilty of an offense to stay in the community, often under conditions and some kind of supervision.

recidivism

The tendency of a convicted criminal to reoffend.

forensics

Scientific methods and techniques to investigate crimes, especially in relation to the recovery and analysis of physical evidence.

cold case

An investigation that has not been solved after considerable time but remains 'on the books' and may be reopened if new evidence appears or techniques of investigation become available.

jailor/warder

A person who is in charge of a jail or prison for the supervision of inmates.

convict

sb who has been proved guilty of a crime and put in jail

felon

a person who is guilty of a serious crime.

acquittal

a judgement or verdict that a person is not guilty

complicit

involved with others in an activity that is unlawful or morally wrong.

penalize

to punish (some wrong action etc) in this way

prosecution

the institution and conducting of legal proceedings against someone in respect of a criminal charge.

subpoena

to order someone to go to a law court to answer questions

affidavit

a written statement confirmed by oath or affirmation, for use as evidence in court.

prosecutor

a legal official who accuses someone of committing a crime, especially in a law court

defendant

a person in a law case who is accused of having done something illegal

joyriding

The action or practice of driving fast and dangerously in a stolen car for enjoyment

fraud

Criminal deception intended to result in financial or personal gain

slander

The action or crime of making a false spoken statement damaging to a person’s reputation

libel

The action or crime of publishing a false statement that is damaging to a person’s reputation

arson

The criminal act of deliberately setting fire to property

burglary

Illegal entry of a building with intent to commit a crime, especially theft

rape

The crime of having sex with someone against their wishes.

indecent assault

Sexual assault that does not involve rape

stabbing

An act or instance of wounding or killing someone with a knife.

murder

The unlawful premeditated killing of one human being by another

mugging

An act of attacking and robbing someone in a public place

pickpocketing

The crime of stealing things out of people's pockets or bags, especially in a crowd.

shoplifting

The action of stealing goods from a shop while pretending to be a customer; the illegal act of taking goods from a shop without paying for them

robbery

The crime of stealing from somewhere or someone, accomplished through the use of physical force or fear

theft

The action or crime of stealing any unauthorized taking of property from another with the intent to permanently deprive that person of the property.

manslaughter

the killing of a human being without express intent

mugger

A person who attacks you in order to steal your money

shared custody

When the parents of a child are separated but both have legal responsibility for the care of their child

suspect

a person thought to be guilty of a crime or offence.

offender

a person who commits an illegal act.

principal suspect

the person believed by law enforcement officers to have most likely perpetrated a crime being investigated

arrest

seize (someone) by legal authority and take them into custody

defendant

an individual, company, or institution sued or accused in a court of law.

convicted

having been declared guilty of a criminal offence by the verdict of a jury or the decision of a judge.

sentenced

declare the punishment decided for (an offender).

offences committed

an illegal act; a crime

plea

the answer that a person gives in court when they have been accused of committing a crime

indictable offence

an offence which can only be tried on an indictment after a preliminary hearing

immediate custody

immediate charge and control (as over a ward or a suspect) exercised by a person or an authority

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Ministry of Justice

A ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice

Out of court disposal

the different ways of resolving a situation without going to court.

Court proceedings

the formal legal process where a case is heard and decided upon by a judge or jury.

Under supervision

with the instruction, under the watchful eye, with the guidance (of the teacher) idiom.

Serving (shorter) sentences

to complete (a term in office, a prison sentence, etc.)

order

an authoritative command or instruction.

Community sentence

a sentence whereby an offender is required to perform community service.

Suspended (prison) sentence

a judicial punishment which is not enforced unless a further crime is committed during a specified period.

The probation service

a statutory criminal justice service that supervises offenders serving community sentences or released into the community from prison

The judiciary

the judicial authorities of a country; judges collectively.

discrepancy

A difference between two things that should be the same.

database

A large amount of information stored in a computer system in such a way that it can be easily looked at or changed.

nexus

An important connection between the parts of a system or a group of things.

aggregate

Being the total amount of something after all the figures or points have been added together (+ noun).

synthesis

The act of combining different ideas or things to make a whole that is new and different from the items considered separately.

salience

The fact of being important to or connected with what is happening or being discussed.

quantitative

Relating to numbers or amounts / relating to an amount that can be measured.

substantially

To a large degree.

empirical

Based on what is experienced or seen rather than on theory.

variable

A number, amount, or situation that can change.

criterion

A standard by which you judge, decide about, or deal with something.

significant

Large enough to be noticeable or have noticeable effects.

analysis

The act of studying or examining something in detail, in order to discover or understand more about it.

contentious

Causing , involving, or likely to cause disagreement and argument.

assess

To judge or decide the amount, value, quality, or importance of something.

annual

Happening once every year.

Police brutality

Unlawful or excessive use of force by law enforcement officers.

Racial injustice

Unfair treatment of people based on their race or ethnicity.

Racial trope

A conven:onal and overused theme or portrayal involving race, oFen rein forcing stereotypes or clichéd ideas about a par:cular racial or ethnic group.

Bias

Prejudice in favour of or against a person or group compared to another, usually in a way considered to be unfair.