Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment

Vocabulary Definition Examples

Thief /θiːf/ someone who steals things from another person or Thieves broke into the offices and stole some
place computer equipment.
CCTV /ˌsiː siː tiː ˈviː/ CCTV (Closed Circuit Television) is a closed Police have released CCTV of a man
system consisting of video cameras, display suspected of stealing
devices (monitors) and wired or wireless data
networks that allow you to transfer images from
video cameras to monitors. Is a form of video
surveillance
Steal /stiːl/ to take something that belongs to someone else Boys broke into a shop and stole £45 in cash.
Rob / rɑːb/ to steal money or property from a person, bank etc They killed four policemen while robbing a
bank.
Accomplice / əˈkɑːmplɪs/ a person who helps someone such as a criminal to After the robbery, the men escaped in a stolen
do something wrong car driven by an accomplice.
Fraud / frɒːd/ the crime of deceiving people in order to gain He’s been charged with tax fraud.
something such as money or goods
Scam /skæm/ (informal) a clever but dishonest way to get money He got involved in a credit card scam.
Despicable / ˈdespɪkəbl/ extremely bad, immoral, or cruel It’s despicable the way he treats those kids.
Heartless /ˈhɑːrtləs/ cruel and not feeling any pity How can you be so heartless?
Suspects /ˈsʌspekt/ someone who is thought to be guilty of a crime Two suspects were arrested today in
connection with the robbery.
Heirloom /ˈerluːm/ a valuable object that has been owned by a family a family heirloom
for many years and that is passed from the older
members to the younger members
Warn /wɔːrn/ to tell someone that something bad or dangerous ‘Be careful, the rocks are slippery, ’ Alex
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
may happen, so that they can avoid it or prevent it warned.
Courier scams /ˈkʊriər/ Courier fraud occurs when a fraudster contacts
victims by telephone purporting to be a police
officer or bank official. ... The caller may also
offer a telephone number for the victim to
telephone or ask the victim to call the number on
the back of their bank card to check that they are
genuine.
Confidence trick (also called con an act of cheating or tricking someone by gaining "They were the innocent victims of an
trick) their trust and persuading them to believe elaborate confidence trick"
something that is not true.
Swindle /ˈswɪndl/ to get money from someone by deceiving them a businessman who swindled investors out of
swindle somebody out of something millions of pounds
Confidence man (conman) someone who tries to get money from people by As more and more frauds emerge it becomes
/ˈkɑːnmæn/ tricking them apparent that conmen are trying to dupe
vulnerable people.
Swindler /ˈswɪndlər/ a person who uses deception to deprive someone "he used his charm to become a small-time
of money or possessions. swindler"
Trickster /ˈtrɪkstər/ someone who deceives or cheats people a slick, fast-talking confidence trickster
Elderly /ˈeldərli/ used as a polite way of saying that someone is old A group of elderly ladies sat drinking coffee
or becoming old in the cafeteria.
Vulnerable /ˈvʌlnərəbl/ someone who is vulnerable can be easily harmed He took advantage of me when I was at my
or hurt most vulnerable.
Testimony /ˈtestəmoʊni/ a formal statement saying that something is true, Barker’s testimony is crucial to the
especially one a witness makes in a court of law prosecution’s case.
Pose /poʊz/ to exist in a way that may cause a problem, Officials claim the chemical poses no real
danger, difficulty etc threat.
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
pose a threat/danger/risk
Trace /treɪs/ to find someone or something that has disappeared Police are trying to trace a young woman
by searching for them carefully who was seen near the accident.
Culprit /ˈkʌlprɪt/ the person who is guilty of a crime or doing Police finally managed to catch the culprit.
something wrong
Criminal /ˈkrɪmɪnəl/
Bouncer
Ski mask
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
stenographer someone whose job is to write down what someone else is
saying, using stenography, and then type a copy of it
a court of law dealing with traffic law violations, "he had been convicted in traffic court of
Traffic court such as speeding or drink-driving. running a red light in Newark"
The majority of driving-related offenses are
Traffic infraction classified as infractions (also called "violations" or
"civil infractions"). A traffic infraction is the least
serious traffic offense and is typically defined as
an act or omission that's prohibited by law but isn't
a crime.
It means to represent yourself in court (to be your
to appear “pro se” in a case own lawyer).
is the disobedience of an order of a court. It is also He is considered guilty and is sent to jail (but
contempt of court conduct tending to obstruct or interfere with the mostly because of contempt of court; he
orderly administration of justice. defies the judge's authority and shows
disrespect).
Court clerk Court and Legal Clerks provide administrative and
operational support to Legal Professionals by
performing clerical work associated with the
functions of courts, legal practices and the
administration of trusts and estates.
You have to do a period (e.g. 100 hours) of unpaid in hospitals / senior citizens’ homes
Community service work
You pay a certain amount of money to the court. The club was fined £50,000 for financial
Fines irregularities.
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You have to stay out of trouble. Once a week you The judge sentenced Jennings to three years’
Probation visit a “probation officer,” who asks about your probation.
behaviour.
You have to remain in your home. You’re fitted
Home detention with an electronic tag which sends signals to
officials who monitor your location. Depending on
the case, you may be allowed to leave home for a
few hours. If you don’t comply with these
conditions, the signal will alert the authorities and
you can go to prison.
You go for a fixed period (ranging from a very
Prison short period to “life”)
You remain in custody for your lifetime and you
A life sentence aren’t allowed to leave, even if you behave well in
prison
This is the capital punishment. The court decides
Death penalty to terminate your life for the seriousness of your
crime.
You don’t go to prison immediately, e.g. “a six-
Suspended prison sentence month sentence suspended for one year” means if
you behave well for one year, you are free. If you
do something wrong, you go to prison for six
months.
The system of law enforcement that is directly 'Far from ministerial, rules of evidence and
Criminal legal system involved in apprehending, prosecuting, defending, criminal procedure are at the core of any
sentencing, and punishing those who are suspected criminal justice system. '
or convicted of criminal offences.
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
It refers to the fact that the United States is the
Mass incarceration leading country in incarceration and prison
populations; we incarcerate more than 2 million
people.
a building where people are kept as a punishment He visits his dad in prison every week.
Prisons /ˈprɪzən/ for a crime, or while they are waiting to go to
court for their trial
Criminalization or criminalisation, in criminology,
System of criminalization is "the process by which behaviors and individuals
are transformed into crime and criminals". ... The
process of criminalization takes place through
societal institutions including schools, the family,
and the criminal justice system.
Arrest again someone who has already been
Rearrested arrested

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ROB AND STEAL: To steal focuses on the object or the thing which is taken. For
example: Hey! Somebody just stole my phone. Rob focuses on the victim of the crime.
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Phrases Examples
(To be) estimated to be worth Samuel Palmer painting estimated to be worth
Used on a crime her credit card had been used in a crime, and she needed to contact her bank
Require safekeeping (for My passport was in the inner pocket of my bag, for safekeeping.
safekeeping)
Fraud team
sentimental value
Police have also warned the
public

Idioms Examples
catch somebody red handed Ella was pickpocketing from an old lady when her mother caught her red-handed and forced her
to return the money
On the case Even though the police are on the case, she does not believe that they will investigate correctly
Be a steal The house was a steal, you will never believe how cheap it was
Bandit territory (tierra de nadie) That slum has become a bandit territory, no one dares to drive through it, not even the police.
beat the rap (to escape or avoid Jack the ripper is one example of a famous killer who beat the rap, since he brutally killed five
blame or punishment) women and never pay for it
do a runner (to leave a place in Many criminals do a runner when they find out they are going to be caught, instead of confessing
order to avoid a difficult or and making it easier for themselves.
unpleasant situation or to avoid
paying for something)
in the dock (On trial, especially in He stood in the dock for weeks until trial was over
a criminal case.)
be on the run Ted Bundy had been on the run for eight days before he was finally arrested and sent to prison.
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Things that can be
stolen
Jewelry
Bank cards
Credit cards
Paintings
anything of value
family heirloom
Sentimental value

Phrasal verbs Definition Examples

hand something ↔ over to give something to someone with your hand, The soldiers were ordered to hand over their
especially because they have asked for it or should guns.
have it
talk somebody into to persuade someone to do something My husband talked me into going skiing.
something
fall for to be tricked into believing something that is not He is too smart to fall for that trick.
somebody/something true
(informal)
trick somebody into to make somebody do something by means of a He tricked me into lending him £100.
something/into doing trick
something
make sth up invent When she asked him why he was late, he made
up an excuse about his plane being delayed.
let sb off released with little or no punishment I’ll let you off this time, but you mustn’t be late
next time.
break into enter illegally or by force It looks like they have broken into the flat
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
through the downstairs window.
get away escape When I was shopping this morning, a man
grabbed my bag and got away with it
own up (to sth) admit He owned up that he was the one who had broken
the door after his teacher threatened to punish the
whole class.
take in / be taken in by sb deceive They were taken in by three men who were
pretending to be police officers.
make off with sth steal and take something with you The bank robbers made off with in a sports car
that was waiting for them opposite the building.
tie sb up fasten rope, etc around someone so they cannot He tied up the dog outside the shop while he
move or escape went in to get some food.
fight sb off stop someone doing something by fighting them Bodyguards had to fight off the crowds.
set on sb make a sudden and unexpected physical attack The farmer threatened to set his dogs on us.
to make people or animals attack someone
if you are set on by people or animals, you are
suddenly attacked by them

Quotes of law and punishment

“The lowest and vilest alleys in London do not present a more dreadful record of sin than does the smiling and
beautiful countryside.” Sherlock Holmes (I agree)
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
“Society prepares the crime; the criminal commits it.” Henry Thomas Buckle (I agree)

“He who does not prevent crime when he can, encourages it.” Seneca (I agree)

“Crime is terribly revealing. Try and vary your methods as you will, your tastes, your habits, your attitude of mind,
and your soul is revealed by your actions.” Agatha Christie (I do not agree)

“There’s a simple way to solve the crime problem: obey the law; punish those who do not.” Rush Limbaugh (I do
not believe that it is so simple)

“Make crime pay. Become a lawyer.” Will Rogers (I do not agree)

Police hunt conman suspected of stealing £100,000 painting

Police say thief talked elderly woman into handing over jewelry, bank cards and valuable painting by Samuel
Palmer

Police have released CCTV of a man suspected of stealing a Samuel Palmer painting estimated to be worth
£100,000 from an elderly woman and talking her into handing over her jewelry and bank cards.
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
Detectives say the images were taken when the suspect was using 89-year-old Ursula Overbury's cards in Oxford
Street, London, soon after he had robbed her of Palmer's The Comet of 1858 * and other property at her home in
Kensington, west London, last month.
Overbury was telephoned late one Saturday night by a man who claimed he was a police officer, her credit card had
been used in a crime, and she needed to contact her bank. According to police, she immediately attempted to call
the bank but the caller had not hung up but stayed on the line. Overbury dialed the bank's number believing she was
speaking to someone who could help her, but in fact it was still the original caller. He told her someone would
come to her home and collect her cards. He also asked if she had anything of value in the house that required safe-
keeping. She said she had the painting and her jewelry.
An hour later, a man – who is believed to have been an accomplice – arrived posing as a member of the bank's
fraud team and took the painting, jewelry and cards. He is described as a white man, believed to be in his 30s,
approximately 1.78 meters (5ft 10in) tall, with dark hair. He spoke with an English accent.
DS Jon Lightfoot, from Kensington and Chelsea CID, said: "Such scams against the elderly and vulnerable are
despicable and heartless. Understandably Miss Overbury has now lost trust and confidence in people calling or
visiting her home. We have placed a dedicated officer to support Miss Overbury which we hope can try to alleviate
some of her fears whilst we make every effort to trace the suspects.
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
"The thief has not only helped himself to her jewelry and credit cards, he has also stolen Miss Overbury's most
prized possession, her Samuel Palmer painting. This work of art, which is a family heirloom, holds great
sentimental value and is Miss Overbury's pride and joy."
Police have also warned the public not to fall for so-called "courier scams" in which people are tricked into handing
cards and pin numbers to doorstep callers. Banks and the police would never call and ask for the pin or send a
courier or the police to collect a bank card, they said.
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*
Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment

Words that were not in the table above

Carjacking /ˈkɑːrˌdʒækɪŋ/ the crime of using a weapon to force carjacker
the driver of a car to drive you
somewhere or give you their car
Counterfeiting /ˈkaʊntərfɪtɪŋ/ made to look exactly like something counterfeiter
else, in order to deceive people / to
copy something exactly in order to
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
deceive people
hooliganism Crimes commited by hooligans
Assault assailant
Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
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 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
WORD MEANING EXAMPLE
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
crime illegal activities in general We moved here because
/kraɪm/ there was very little crime.
Offence His solicitor said he
/əˈfens/ an illegal action or a crime committed the offence
offence against because he was heavily in
drunken driving debt.
wrong doing Neither firm admitted
ˌrɒːŋˈduːɪŋ/ formal illegal or immoral wrongdoing in settling the
behaviour case.
improper or unprofessional
behaviour (including many
types of recognised official
misconduct) defective
administration (including
incompetence and
negligence) waste or
mismanagement of
resources. perverting
justice or accountability.
petty crime a crime that is not serious, for How do three-strikers endure
example stealing things that the thought of spending life in
are not very valuable prison for a relatively petty
crime?
Misdemeanor law a crime that is not very A misdemeanour has been
/ˌmɪsdɪˈmiːnər/ serious committed but the offender
assault, shoplifting, and has not been caught.
petty theft.
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
felony a serious crime such as For his felony, his hands were
/ˈfeləni/ murder cruelly lopped and thrown
murder, rape, burglary, away.
kidnapping and arson
tort law an action that is wrong It is not possible to consider
/tɔːrt/ but not criminal and can be this scheme in a tort book and
dealt with in a civil court of students should consult a
law specialist work for detail.
assault, battery, damage to
personal property,
conversion of personal
property, and intentional
infliction of emotional
distress.

What is the difference between blame and fault?

1 `blame' used as a verb
If you blame someone for something bad that has happened, you think that they made it happen.
Police blamed the bus driver for the accident.
Don't blame me!
You can blame something on someone.
Maya blames all her problems on her parents.
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
2 `to blame'
If someone is to blame for something bad that has happened, they caused it.
I knew I was partly to blame for the failure of the project.
The study found that schools are not to blame for the laziness of their pupils.

3 `fault'/
Don't say that something is someone's `blame'. You say that it is their fault.
This was all Jack's fault.
It's not our fault if the machine breaks down.

4 `at fault'
You can say that someone is at fault.
The other driver was at fault.
Be Careful! Don't say that someone is `in fault'.
Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
Short Documentary About Al Capone todo esto re tema de oral
His childhood He was born and raised in Brooklyn streets. Capone
was not an immigrant, but his family had come from
Naples, and like other children of immigrants homes
Capone soon find himself running with street gangs
All these gangs had junior divisions, Capone at the age
of thirteen, fourteen it was the member of two gangs
simultaneously the “Fight Point Juniors” in Manhattan
and also the “South Brooklyn Rippers” in his own
area of foot, Darfield Plate.
His early jobs In his youth, Capone worked in Connie Island, then it
is now a favorite weekend destination for new Yorkers
with money in their pockets and fun in their minds. His
job was a bouncer in a bar called the “Horethorn in”
(?), Capone’s boss was a local hood with mafia
connections. Since he was young he wished to pursue
the American dream

Frankie Yale Acting the role of mentor and godfather Yale took the
young Capone out of his way. Al Capone was Frankie
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
Yale’s star student. He took Al Capone under his wing

Johnny Torrio Local nightclub owner big Jim Caulasino (he also had
mafia connections) needed a bodyguard for himself
and his young wife. Johnny Torrio was big Jim’s
number 2. He knew Capone from New York and gave
him the job. It was the start of a partnership that would
change the shape of America organized crime. In
1924 Torrio feel a victim to a drive by shooting. Badly
wounded, and badly shaped he quit the rackets.
Capone had now a shot at the big-time control of
Chicago.

Scarface By the time he was 24 years old Al Capone was the

biggest name in gangland, by then his face had been
marked in a vicious brawl, and he acquired the
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
nickname by which he has gone down in history
“Scarface”.

Difference with Like other gangsters he did not do years squaler, years
other gangsters of petty crime., years of mindless muscle. But unlike
other gangsters, Capone had learned that honey words
and greed palms could be just as effective as the
blackjack and the gun. It is what made him special.
Capone was different because he was some sort of
multidimensional gangster (he implied much more
than usual gangsters). He was not somebody who
simply understood profits and man ham, he had some
depth to him, he had a public relation’s ability. He was
able to attract even editors and reporters to his cause if
you put him. Delivering whiskey and entertainment to
people who were desperate for it. In many ways he
was a very stood business person. His instinct to public
relations was the key to Capone’s success. Unlike
mafia, Capone employed anyone with talent. In
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
ethnically divided gangland, it was a smart move.
Capone did things the American way, he was a by
product to immigration, and the quest of the promised
land.
He was cunning as a criminal

About him He was a man who more than any other came to
symbolize the new American breed: the gangsters. He
believed in the promised land. He pursued the
American dream. And he was to set up an organization
that became the template for the mob.
Yet Capone was to make its name not in New York but
in the city eight hundred miles to the west: Chicago.
Chicago was a wild town, a boomed town. A man
could get rich quick there if he had energy and
enthusiasm, and if he was handy with his fist or with a
gun. Capone was. Through a local connection, the
future big fellow got his big break in 1919.
Capone became the first true gangland zar. He made
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
an indelible impression in everyone who met him.
Hollywood came to love Capone, he had all the
ingredients to make him an underworld star.
After Rod Staiger played Al Capone in the first full
blown biography of the mobster.

 The rough area where Al Capone was brought up and his poor education led Al Capone into a life of crime.
 Al Capone was accused of many gang murders
 Al Capone denied having been involved in the St Valentine’s Massacre.
 He got away with the St. Valentine’s Massacre because of lack of enough evidence.
 Capone and his mob were to blame for much of the violence of the Chicago gang era.
 He was finally charged with tax evasion.
 Al Capone was arrested for income tax evasion.
 Al Capone admitted to dodging taxes

Ed Gain
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment

Ed Gein was the ultimate mommy’s boy. He lived with his mother in their farmhouse in Plainfield, Wisconsin until
she died in 1949, at which time Gein was 40 years old. Soon after, Gein began paying visits to local cemeteries,
where he would unearth the bodies of recently-deceased women, steal them and fashion them into various
household items.
But eventually, grave robbing wasn’t enough for Ed, so he turned his hand to murder. He shot and killed two local
women with a rifle, loaded their corpses into his truck and took them home to his decaying house. Gein soon
became a suspect in the disappearance of local shop owner Bernice Worden, and when police inspected Gein’s
house, they found some of the most hideous creations known to man.
Human bones, bowls made of skulls, mutilated vaginas, a lampshade made from human skin, clothes made from
flayed skin – and much more. Gein later confessed that his dream was to create a ‘woman-suit’ so that he could
‘become his mother.’
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
Because of his affinity for making furniture out of human skin, the character Buffalo Bill from Silence of the
Lambs was based on Ed Gein's creations.
Gein died in a mental hospital in 1984, but his presence still haunts the backwoods of Plainfield. He’s one of the
United States most prolific serial killers for good reason.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q66Bmvw5x_4

Video
Juvenil judge Edmand Naman (neiman) says some serious crimes like robberies and murders are significantly up
from two or three years before. The year before seven murders and 31 robberies were commited by juveniles, in the
current year, there have been already six murders and 31 first degree roberies, all of these were commited by kids
fifteen old or younger. “These young people that are charged with muder and robbery, show that there are some
significant indicators that there are problems there, and they are not getting what they need. The judged says that
children who are ignored and do not have a protective force around them are more likely to commit crimes. He says
parents should always know what it is going on in their children’s lives. “To know with whom your child is
hanging around to, to know what they are doing in the home, to know what is inside of their home, to chat, to
snoop, to be a parent. That is probably the most important, and to do your job, your number one job as a parent is to
see that thir needs are taken care of. In most robberies and murders cases there is no parental limit in these
children’s lives. Children who are left alone and ignored will find something to occupy their time. Called them
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
what you want but we do have groups of individuals together that are causing a lot of problems. This judged also
says that almost all serios crimes comitted by minors start with the child being arrested for possesion of a gun (they
have a record of criminal behaviour). He says the child is usually later arrested for robbery and down the line,
murder. He says the punishment will soon be much more harsh for minors carrying guns.
The news report It’s about the increase (spike) in juvenile delinquency in an American town.
Parents should check their children’s needs are being taken care of, and who they
hang out with. Parents should not neglect or ignore their children; they shouldn’t leave
them alone.
What is the news report about?
What youth-related crimes is the community of Mobile suffering from?
What should parents do in order to prevent their children from committing crimes?

ESSAY OF JUVENILE CRIME

Juvenile crime rates have nearly doubled in many countries. In the news we keep hearing about youngsters
getting mixed up in shady affairs and committing petty crimes. But what is a juvenile crime? It is a term denoting
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
various offences committed by children or youths under the age of 18. Such acts are sometimes referred to as
juvenile delinquency. Children's offences typically include delinquent acts, which would be considered crimes if
committed by adults, and status offences, which are less serious misbehavior problems such as truancy and parental
disobedience. Both are within the jurisdiction of the youth court; more serious offences committed by minors may
be tried in a criminal court and be subject to prison sentences.
We hear about a child stealing an apple from the market stands, and then robbing a small shop; next day we
learn about a 17-year-old kid who killed his classmates. People are concerned and rightly so. That is all what we
do, or maybe give them a harsh punishment. It seems that focus has only been on punishment and very little
attention has been paid to prevention or intervention. There is no single cause of violence but we can certainly list a
lot of risk factors, which increase the development of criminal behavior. These include child abuse and family
disintegration, violating behavior, academic failure, school dropout, lack of contact with society, fighting with
peers, and antisocial behavior early in life.
In order to reveal the real background of juvenile crime it is obviously not enough to stop at this point.
Probably none of the young delinquents were born with hostility, rage and hatred. Their environment and our
society have turned them into who they are today. Juveniles have to face the cruel sides of the world too early and
they are not well prepared for it yet. Some of them are able to deal with it, some of them are not. The latter,
shocked by the realization, will escape to the world of crimes trying to hide themselves from all the dissatisfaction.
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Crime rates are the highest in the more urbanized societies where traditional life styles do not prevail and
local communities and social control have become loose. Young people are allowed to live a totally free and
undisciplined life in the dark streets of neglected city districts. Getting a false image from these places, they are
assured that the proper way of living is the one they experience there. They are just following the bad example,
without being aware of what they are really doing.
The situation is the same with the violation, outrage and aggression fueled by the media and computer
games. Thousands of children sit down in front of the television in the late evening to switch off a little bit. What
do they get? Blood, fight, hatred, war and a superman who never dies. After that, what should we expect from our
children? To kiss the little doll with love or play with the toy cars... that type of childhood is out of fashion by now.
They will rather continue the bloody scenes in their video games using the newest weapons to murder the "bad
guys." The game is never-ending because they have more lives. Most of the parents consider it is just a game. But it
is much more than that. Subconsciously everything remains in their brains and reflexes. Moreover, sitting all day
long at the computer, kids get isolated from their peers, friends and social life, too. They do not communicate, and
thus, fall out of the flow of real life. Losing their connections to the world, they will not be able to make realistic
judgments leading them into crimes.
Young people should not be expected to have the same values and judgment as adults; they should not be
treated in the same way either. This is especially true if they have been the victims of poverty, neglect, and abuse.
A sensible approach to the problem can help a lot. Young lives can be salvaged, but not with incarceration. It has
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
never been a good solution. Instead, developing more programs to prevent these children entering the juvenile
justice system would be far more effective and less costly.
Let us not forget that they are not just those children. These are our children and they need our attention and
concern before they get into serious trouble, as well as after. We should teach our kids and show them how to live
life fully and properly. If we cannot do it, how do we expect that from them? The youths are the building blocks of
the future. We are responsible for making an effort to maximize the chances of the juveniles to become well-
adjusted and contributing members of our society.

COMMON JUVENILE CRIMES

POSSIBLE CAUSES
Personal
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
-Academic failure

Psychological
-Child abuse
-Antisocial behavior

Environmental
-Isolation from society
-Violent computer games
-Follow the bad example of their environment
PREVENTIVE MEASURES
Young people who act like this should not be treated as adults.
Develop programs to prevent children to get into a life of crime.
All adults who are in contact to youngsters

How can the problem of juvinile crime be solved?

 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment

Look at the photo of Lady Justice, the Roman goddess of Justice.

 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
Why is she blindfolded?
A proper judgement requires impartiality. In other words, one must be unbiased. The blindfolds represent blindness
to factors that often influence man like money, power, friendship or hate, jealousy, fear. This is obvioulsy crucial in
the judicial system. The symbolism of the blindfold was controversial in the Middle Ages as it could also be
interpreted as justice being blind to factors that unjustly influence their judgement. But that is simply a matter of
perspective.
What do the scales in her left hand symbolize?
The scale in an ancient device that weights one object against another. Ancient Egyptians used it to protray the
judgement of a man by weighing his heart against Maat’s ostrich feather. If the heart is equal or lighter than her
feather, it is considered good and goes to heavenly afterlife. We all sin and do good but how much of each is what
counts. A thief or a liar is a sinner but what if their good outweights their bad. All our sins and virtues must be
taken into account for when making an overall judgement of a person. The weighing scale also reminds us that all
sins and virtues come in degrees, all sins weigh differently. Stealing does not have the same gravity as killing, and
sins come in degress as well. A white lie is not the same as a lie that jeopardizes people or parties. Evidence should
stand on its own.
Making a judgement is an essential part of living, it is required before acting. t does the sword in her right hand
symbolize?
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
The sword symbolyses defence and offence. Held by Justitia is represents the enforcement and protection of justice.
The sword also represents battle and shows that justice is in constant battle with injustice. The sword represents
punishment, signifying that justice can be swift and final. She holds the sword below the scales to show that
evidence weighted on its merit in a court of law come before punishment.
How is justice guaranteed in your country?

 Check the statements you think are true about the system of justice in Argentina.

System of Government
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
US UK ARGENTINA
Federal systmem of government Constitutional monarchy REPRESENTATIVE,
Division of power: Sovereign – Parliament REPUBLICAN, AND FEDERAL
-Executive (carries out laws) There is a monarch (head of state), GOVERNMENT.
-Legislative (makes law) who is born in this position. There is There is a division of power:
-Judicial (interprets laws) a governor General who is chosen -Executive
by the Prime Minister and the -Legislative
Monarch. -Judicial powers
The Prime Minister and the Cabinet
Ministers are first voted by the
people.

Constitution or Sources of Law

US UK ARGENTINA
-Common law -Common law -Civil law
-The constitution: “Supreme law of -Acts of a Parliament -National Constitution
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
the land”; it provides the basis for -European Union Law -National Laws
the U.S government, and guarantees -European Convention on Human -Law Codes
the freedom and rights of all U.S Rights -International treaties
citizens

-International Treaties
-Federeal statues: federal laws
-State Constitutions and Statutes

The Legislative Power

US UK ARGENTINA
-The US Congress -The UK Parliament -The National Congress
-House of Representatives -House of Lords -Chamber of Deputies
-Senate -House of Commons -Chamber of Senators
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
Law Enforcement
US UK ARGENTINA
-The US Congress has exclusive -Parliamente is the supremen law- -The legislative power is conducted
authority to enact federal legislation making authority by the National Congress
-The enforcement, interpretation -The interpreation and ennforcement -The interpretation
and /or validation of statutes is the of statutes is the role of the Penal code (femicide)
role of the Judiciary. judiciary.
-The judiciary branch also creates -The judiciary branch also creates
law for “common law areas”. law for “common law areas”.
-Doctrine of STARE DECISIS -Doctrine of STARE DECISIS

The Court System

US UK ARGENTINA
-The supreme court of justice -The Supreme court Federal Courts
-Federal Courts -House of lords -Supreme court
Trial Courts -Court of appeals -Apellate courts
Apellate courts Civil courts -Lower federal courts
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
-State Courts High courts Provincial Courts
Criminal and civil cases County Courts -Supreme court
Criminal Courts -Apellate courts
Crown courts -Lower federal courts
Magistrate’s courts Provincial courts
-Supreme courts
-Apellate courts
-Lower courts
Criminal, civil, labour,
administrative, family and
commercial cases.

Talk about the US legal system

To begin with the US is a constitutional federal republic system of government. Constitutional means that the
government of the United States is based on a constitution. Federal means that there are both a national government
and governments of the 50 states. And, finally it is a republic form of government in which the people hold power,
but elect representatives to exercise that power. In addition, there is also a division of three separated but equal
powers of the government: which are the executive power (which is in charge of carrying out and enforcing laws,
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
and whose head is the president), the legislative power (which is the power in charge of making laws), and the
judicial power ( which is the one in charge of interpreting the law). Similarly, the system of government in
Argentina also divides its power in the same three branches: the executive power, the legislative power and the
judicial power. The US has several sources of power. Firstly, it has, similarly to the UK what is called the common
law. This is a law that is derived /dɪˈraɪv/ from judicial decisions. Secondly, it has a constitution which is the
supreme law of the land, considered the governing document of the US. There are also state constitutions which are
governing documents of a US state. Thirdly, there are the statues. As I said before, one of the functions of the
legilslative branch is that it is in charge of making laws. This process in the US is taken care of by the US
Congress, which has two main parts the House of representatives, and the senate. This process can start when a
senate or a member of the house of representatives introduces a bill. This bill is first analysed and debated in the
representatives house, and then it is voted. Then it goes to the Senate, and the same process happens. Once the bill
is approved by both houses of Congress it has to be sent to the president who can choose whether to sign it or not.
If the President signs the bill, it becomes a law, and this kind of law is called a statute. There are two kinds of
statutues since, there are federal statutes, this are the ones approved by both houses and signed by the president, and
usually they should apply for all the country. However, the are also state statutes, which are are laws that have been
adopted by a state legislature and signed into law by the state governor. State laws apply to people who live in or
are passing through that area. Finally, the US also has international treaties as a source of power. These are
international agreements between states or international organizations. Then, the enforcement, interpretation and
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
validation of statutes is the role of the Judiciary. This branch also creates law for “common law areas”. This system
also has a doctrine of stare decisis, which is a legal doctrine that obligates courts to follow historical cases when
making a ruling on a similar case. Finally, I can add some information about the court system. The court system of
the US is hierarchical (which means it is arranged in order of rank). Therefore, in first place we have the supreme
court, which is the highest tribunal in the US. In second place, we have the federal coursts (which involve hearing
cases about laws and treaties). In third place there are the trial courts (is the court of the original jurisdiction where
for example a crime was commited) . Then we have the appellate court (which is a court of second instance, since it
reviews the procedures and decisions in the trial court). Lastly, we have the state courts which are the final arbiters
of state laws and constitutions. All in all, this is everything I can talk about the legal system in the US taking into
account the aspects of system of government, sources of power, legislative power, law enforcement and court
system.

Talk about the UK system of Justice

To begin with, in contrast with the US’s or Argentina’s system of government, the UK government is not based on
a constitution. Actually, UK is a constitutional monarchy in which the reigning /reɪn/ monarch does not make any
open political decisions. These are taken by the government and Parliament. The government of the United
Kingdom is headed by the prime minister, which is chosen by the parliament, and the parliament is a bicameral
parliament that consists of the House of commons and the House of Lords. As there is no division of powers in the
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
UK. The parliament is the place where laws are developed. A bill can start in either of the houses. On the one hand,
the house of commons consists of 650 members of the parliament that are elected by the people. The bill is first
readed here, in the house of commons, and there is a debate on the general principles of the bill. After that, MPs
vote on the bill. On the other hand, the house of Lords has about 800 members which are appointed on
recommendation of the Primer Minister or the House of Lords Appoinyments Comission. This is not a
representative body since it is not elected by the people of UK. After the vote of the bill in the House of Commons,
it is sent to the House of Lords.The procedure is similar to that in the Commons. If the Lords have amendments /ə
ˈmend/ to the bill, it must be sent back to the Commons. In principle, the bill can go backwards and forwards
between the Lords and the Commons until the proceedings are ended by prorogation, or the law is finally approved.
Once a Royal Assent is received, a bill becomes law and is referred as an Act of Parliament. In the UK there are
two main sources of law: the Acts of parliaments and the common law, which is a law that is derived /dɪˈraɪv/ from
judicial decisions. Similarly, the US also has the source of law that is common law, since their law system came
from Great Britain, since the US used to be colony one of England’s colonies. Regarding the aspect of law
inforcement we already know that the parliament is the supreme law-making authority. Similarly to the US, the
interpreation and enforcement of statutes is the role of the judiciary. This branch has also the role of creating law
for “common areas”. It also has a doctrine of stare decisis. This is a legal doctrine that obligates courts to follow
historical cases when making a similar ruling case. Finally, we have the court system in the UK. Firstly, we have
the supreme court (whih is the final court of appeal for all United kingdom civil cases of general importance),
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
secondly, there is the house of Lords (final Court of Appeal on points of law), court of appeals (deals with appeals
from other courts and tribunals, and it has to review the procedeens and decisions of the previous courts). Then we
have civil courts and finally criminal courts. Firstly civil courts are divided into high courts (wich deal with large or
complex civil disputes) and county courts (which deals with minor civil matters). Secondly, within the criminal
court, there are two other courts which are called: the crown court (trials heard by a judge and a 12 person jury) and
magistrate’s courts (trials heard by three magistrtates or a district judge)

Talk about the ARG legal system

Argentina has a representative, republican, and federal type of government. Firstly, it is a representative system of
government since citizes elect representatives who propose and vote on legislation or policiy initiatives on their
behalf. Secondly, republican means the people hold power, but elect representatives to exercise that power. Finally
it is a federal type of government since is a mixed compound mode of government since it combines the general
government with regional goverments, which would be Argentina’s provinces. Similarly to the US, it also is based
on a constitution, and the government divides its power in three separate but equal branches which are: the
executive power (includes only the Head of State and President, and the control the general administraion of the
country. The President is also the Chief of the Argentine Armed Forces.), the legislative power (in arg the national
congress constitudes the legislative branch of government, nad it has the function of making laws) and the judicial
power (It is composed of federal judges and others with different jurisdictions and of a Supreme cort with 9
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
members, it has the function of making sure that laws are being obeyed correctly). Argentina has three main
sources of law: Firstly, there is civil law which includes certain laws that afect people people and their properties
and nowadays it is known as the civil and comercial law. Secondly, there is the constitution which is the basic
governing doument of Argentina. The constitutions includes within itself national laws and laws code. And, finally
there are international treaties, that are international agreements between states and / or international organizations.
As I said earlier the National congress is the one that manages the legislative power. The National Congress is
made up of two chambers known as the chambers of deputies and the Senate. To begin with, the number of
deputies depends on the number of inhabitants. The Chamber of Deputies receives for consideration bills presented
by popular initiative, and debates them. When it is approved it is passed to the chamber of senators. Senators are
designated by popular vote. The senate must obtane quorum to deliberate. It has the power to approve bills passed
by the Chamber of Deputies,and submit bills for the president's signature. Regarding the aspect of law enforcement,
The interpretation, enforcement and/or validation of the law is the role of the judiciary. In contrast to the US and
the UK legal systems there is no STARE DECISIS, in Argentina there is a penal code that could be describe as a
kind of sentencing guidelines. Finally I can talk a little about the court system of Argentina.
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment

Where is Sheldon?
He is in a Traffic Court.
Who are the people in the room?
They are the judge and the accused (Sheldon) (the court clerk may also be seen on the right).
What crime did he commit?
He committed a traffic infraction.
What does ‘to appear “pro se” in a case’ mean?
It means to represent yourself in court (to be your own lawyer).
How does Sheldon end up?
He is considered guilty and is sent to jail (but mostly because of contempt of court; he defies the judge's authority
and shows disrespect).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cc3Um-BBhpI
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment

The judge generally sits behind a raised desk, known as the bench. Benches in U.S federal courtrooms and
some state courtrooms are usually bullet-resistant to protect judges from courtrooms shootouts. Behind the judge
are the great seal of the jurisdiction and the flags of the appropriate federal and state governments. Judges usually
wear a plain black robe Adjacent to the bench are the witness stand and the desks where the court clerk and the
court reporter (or stenographer) sit. The courtroom is divided into two parts by a barrier known as the bar. The bar
may be an actual railing, or an imaginary barrier. The bailiff stands (or sits) against one wall and keeps order in the
courtroom. On one side is the judge’s bench, the tables for the plaintiff (prosecution), the defendant, and their
respective counsel (or attorney), and a separate group of seats known as the jury box where the jury sits. The juror
who acts as their spokesperson is called the foreperson. Apart from the parties to the case and any witnesses, only
the lawyers can literally pass the bar (court personnnel and jury members usually enter through separate doors), and
this is the reason why the term “the bar” has come to refer to the legal profession as a whole. There is usually a
podium or lectern between the two tables where the lawyers may stand when they argue their case before the judge.
There is usually an open space between the bench and the counsel tables, because of the court clerk and court
reporter’s tables in front of the bench and the jury box on the side. This space is called well. It is exremely
disrespectful to the court for persons who are not court employees to directly “traverse the well” without
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
permission- that is, to walk directly towards the bench across the well- and some courts have rules expressly
forbidding this. Instead, if documents need to be given to or talen from the judge, attorneys are normally expected
to approach the court clerk or bailiff, who acts as an intermediary. During trials, attorneys will ask the court’s
permission to traverse the well or “approach the bench” for “sidebar” conferences with the judge. The other side of
the bar is open to the general public and there are usually sears for curious spectator. This area is the gallery.
Seating for the gallery can either be pew style benches or theater seats. In certain urban criminal courtrooms (e.eg
Philadelphia and Chicago), the gallery is separated from the rest of the room by a partition of bulletproof glass to
prevent injury to spectators (and vice versa), or to control them form charging across the bar in tension-filled cases.
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment

- If an attorney wants to have a “sidebar” conference with the judge, they ask for court’s permission to traverse
the wall
- Surprisingly, the jury rendered a not guilty veredict
- He was found guilty and was put behind bars for life
- She’s always skipping classes but she always gets away with murder
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
- He was prosecuted for assault
- If the prosecution had found enough evidence, he would have been acquitted (not guilty)
- During the trial, Kile admitted that he had killed the minister
- Because of lack of evidence, the case was dismissed and the suspect let off

Criminal Trial Procedures: An Overview

Most criminal trials follow a uniform set of procedures. Here's a step-by-step guide to the process.
The many legal procedures associated with modern criminal trials have developed over centuries. States and the
federal government follow a largely uniform set of procedures. (For more on these procedures, see Criminal Trials.)
Assuming that the criminal trial is carried out to completion, those procedures tend to include the following:

Jury deliberations: The jury deliberates and tries to reach a verdict/ˈvɜːdɪkt/. Juries must be unanimous /juː
ˈnænɪməs/. If less than the requisite number of jurors agrees on a verdict, the jury is "hung" and the case may be
retried.

Defense closing argument: The defense's counterpart to the prosecutor's closing argument. The lawyer explains
why the jury should render a "not guilty" verdict—or at least a guilty verdict on only a lesser charge/ sentence.
Example with David Gale
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
Sentencing: Assuming a conviction (a verdict of "guilty"), the judge either sentences the defendant on the spot or
sets sentencing for another day.

Jury selection: If the trial will be held before a jury, the defense and prosecution select the jury through a question-
and-answer process called "voir dire." In federal courts and many state courts, the judge carries out this process
using questions suggested by the attorneys, as well as questions that the judge comes up with on his or her own. Un
jurado, a veces denominado jury, es un cuerpo colegiado de personas que no son jueces, formado especialmente
para tomar una decisión judicial, denominado fallo o veredicto, en un caso concreto.

Judge or jury trial: The defense often has the right to decide whether a case will be tried to a judge or jury, but in
some jurisdictions, both the prosecution and the defense have the right to demand a jury trial. (For more on the
jury-trial right, including its limitations, see The Right to Trial by Jury.) Juries typically consist of 12 people, but
some states allow for juries as small as six members.

Cross-examination: The prosecutor cross-examines the defense witnesses. The defence may cross-examinate the
prosecution witnesses.
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
Prosecution rebuttal /rɪˈbʌt/: The prosecutor offers evidence to refute /rɪˈfjuːt/ the defense case. It shows enough
evidence to destroy the defence’s case.

Settling on jury instructions: The prosecution and defense get together with the judge and determine a final set of
instructions that the judge will give the jury.

Prosecution closing argument: The prosecution makes its closing argument, summarizing the evidence as the
prosecution sees it and explaining why the jury should render a guilty verdict.

Opening statements: The prosecution and then the defense make opening statements to the judge or jury. These
statements provide an outline of the case that each side expects to prove. Because neither side wants to look foolish
to the jury, the attorneys are careful to promise only what they think they can deliver. In some cases, the defense
attorney reserves opening statement until the beginning of the defense case. The lawyer may even choose not to
give an opening statement, perhaps to emphasize to the jury that it's the prosecution's burden to do the convincing.

The jury must reach its verdict by considering only the evidence introduced in court and the directions of the judge.
The judge has the power to decide otherwise from the veredict of the jury, if the evidence and statementes seem to
him or her to say other things. Judge can overule a jury if the evidence is pertinent.
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
The participants in the trial Judge – jury – lawyer –
counselors – witness – accused –
expectators – defendant
The elements in the courtroom Defense attorney – defendant –
plaintiff – jury box – jury – witness
stand – the gallery, spectators –
judge’s bench – judge’s box – the
bar
The trial steps which take place Cross examination – jury
in the scene trial - Sentencing -

Criminal trial in a trial court

 Would you like this system to be fully implemented in Argentina?

Advatages of the jury system Disadvantages of the jury system

-Trail by jury is seen as one of the fundamental -There can be jury tampering
elements of a democratic society - Juries are under no obligation to offer a decision based
- 1. It keeps the criminal justice system within the on facts.
community. Although this disadvantage doesn’t occur as often
Juries get convened by a mandated request from local today as it did in the past, the jury system isn’t under an
governments. When you register to vote in the United obligation to make a decision based on the facts of the
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
States, then you’re also making yourself available to case. An individual can make a decision on a verdict,
the jury system. The reason for this advantage is judgment, or penalty based on their personal beliefs. If
simple: the goal of this approach is to create a trial that the plaintiff or defendant in the case has inadequate
will eventually get judged by a person’s peers. It legal representation, then it could be possible to “stack
creates a random sampling from a list of people that the jury” in their favor.
both sides can manage to try to leverage a fair result.
-Functionally, a hung jury is far better for the defendant In one famous incident, a jury found a millionaire to be
than a conviction. Undoing a conviction is very not guilty of murder because of what a lawyer argued
difficult. An appeal is not guaranteed in the first place. was “dementia Americana.” It was a supposed
It may not be legally permitted, the defendant may no phenomenon where American men became temporarily
longer have the financial resources to mount an appeal, insane when someone tainted the virtue of their wives.
etc. Even when a defendant is able to appeal a
conviction, that individual no longer enjoys the - The jury system still represents classism within
presumption of innocence. If a juror’s belief is that a society.
guilty verdict would be unjust, it is important for them The average person in the United States cannot afford
not to cave in to the majority view for the sake of an attorney if they encounter legal or civil issues that
consensus, even though they may experience bring them to court. This disadvantage is one of the
psychological discomfort in standing alone or in the reasons why many lawyers work for a percentage of the
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
minority. judgment. It is also representative of the cost that
people must pay to become a professional in this
system in the first place.

Tuition costs at law schools in the United States are

consistently above $40,000 per year, with some
institutions charging upwards of $75,000 annually.
Attending a public law school in the U.S. cuts that cost
by about 50% – if you qualify for in-state enrollment.
You must either go into significant debt or have
substantial resources to qualify, and that’s why only 1
in 4 lawyers say that their education was worth the
investment.

“Punishement should fit the crime”

I agree up to some point – how would we be different from old times?

How offenders are sentenced in England and Wales

 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
How do judges and magistrates decide on a sentence?
One of the most important things is to make sure appropiate sentences are given for each crime, in other words, the
punishment should fit the crime. To do this, judges and magistrates in England and Wales use sentencing
guidelines. These also help them sentence in the same way whether they are in Newcastle, Newport or Newbury.
Every crime and every ofender is different and no two cases or vitims are ever the same, but the way in which a
judge or magistrate decides the sentence is the same.
What factors are take into account?
For each crime there is a range of sentences available and the judge or magistrate have to decide which type of
sentence is right. The jugde or magistrate will think about how serious the offence is, the more serious, the greater
the sentence. For example a burglar who kicked down someone’s front door and threatened them with a knife
would be trated more seriously than a burglar who reached through and open window to steal something. Then
there is the harm caused to the victim. This could be a physical injury like a broken arm, phychological effects such
as stress or the loss of possesions or money. And the offenders level of blame. For example: planning the offence,
using a weapon or targetting a vulnerable victim would all make the offender more blameworthy. The judge or
magistrates will also think whether the defendant already has a criminal record, someone who has been found guilty
of similar cirmes before will be treated more harshly. Personal circumstances will also be considered, for example,
the offender might look after dependent relatives, they might have shown they are genuinely sorry or come clean
and admitted they committed the crime and plead guilty. The earlier an offender admits their guilt the better as it
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
will save victims and witnesses the stress of going through a trial as well as saving court costs and time. If an
offender admits to a crime it usually means they get a lower sentence – up to a third off, when they admitted at the
earliest opportunity. The later the guilty plea the smaller the reduction, which when you think about it, is a good
way of getting offenders to admit their guilt sooner rather than later. Judges and magistrates will also think about
what sort of sentence would be most likely to change the offender’s behaviour, none of us wants to become another
victim of the same offender so it is important that the sentence helps stop them commiting more crime in the future.
What types of sentence are there? There are four main types of sentence. The toughest, prison, is used when a crime
is so serious or an offender’s record is so bad, no other sentence will do. Offenders will normally spend half of their
sentence in prison, and the rest on license in the community. Being on license means offenders have to obey certain
rules which include wearing an electronic tag which restricts where they can go. If they do not follow the rules,
they can be sent back to prison. Community sentences both punish through things such as unpaid work removing
graffity and try to help people stay out of trouble through things like treatments for drug addiction, this is not a soft
option, offenders can be made to do between 40 and 300 hours of demanding work. Fines are for less severe
offences and are the most common type of sentence. The amount of fine is set by the court after considering the
serousness of the offence and how much many the offender has. Finally we have discharges, these are used for the
less serious offences for which the experience of being taken to court is thought to be punishment enough. But a
discharge can come with conditions that mean the offender must stay out of trouble – if they commit another cirme,
they can be sentenced they can sentenced for the first offence and the new one.
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment

How are different types of punishment decided?

The punishment should fit the crime. Judges and magistrates use sentencing guidelines that ensure that they all
follow the same standard procedures.

What factors are taken into account?

For each crime there is a range of sentences available. The decisions are based on the seriousness of the case, harm
produced to the victim, the offenders' level of blame, previous convictions, personal circumstances, remorse, guilty,
among other reasons. (Note: Here only key concepts are mentioned. However, when studying, consider learning
about some specific examples that can help you advance your topic)

What types of sentence are there according to the video?

There are four types of sentence: prison (for serious crimes or reoffenders), community sentences, fines, and
discharges.

What sentence do you think is suitable for each crime?

 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
A teenager who painted some graffiti on a public building: I think that he could have to pay the amount of money
that would take to clean that graffity, plus court costs. I think this type of crime is just a petty crime, and as usually
teenanger’s fines are paid by their parents, his or her parents probably will not be very happy about it, and apply
their own corrective measures.

A man who killed his wife in front of their children: Of course, it always depends on the context, but I belive that
this type of crime should have a serious punishment. A life sentence or even death penalty. This particular offence
has an irremediable physical effect on the victim that is her own death, and terrible psychological effects on their
children. Taking into account the harm that has been done to the victims I do not believe he should have other
options.

A person who drove under the influence of alcohol and crashed into someone else’s house: I think it would
probably depend how much damage he or she did, but this type of crime can be a recipe for disaster and I believe
that the measures taken should be enough to make sure that this does not happen again. Therefore, I believe that, if
no one has been killed, a few years of probation and a certain amount of hours doing community service should do.

A hacker stole money from someone’s bank account: I think that a reasonable sentence may be short term prison
and a certain amount of hours of community service.
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
Why do you think that criminals are punished?
Do you think that every member of society shares the same idea about the use of punishment?
What types of punishment do you think there exist?
Type of punishment Key aspects Examples

Retribution The retributive theory of punishment holds For example, retribution may be a
that punishment is justified by the moral judge's ordering either a life sentence
requirement that the guilty make amends for or the death penalty for someone after
the harm they have caused to society. convicting
Retributive theories generally maintain, as did
the Italian criminologist Cesare Beccaria
(1738–94), that the severity of a punishment
should be proportionate to the gravity of the
offense. Some retributive theories hold that
punishment should never be imposed to
achieve a social objective (such as law-
abiding behavior in the future by the offender
or by others who witness his example), while
others allow social objectives to be pursued as
secondary goals. Many (but not all) retributive
theories also claim that punishment should not
be inflicted on a person unless he is found
guilty of a specific offense (thus, they would
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
prohibit collective punishment and the taking
of hostages from the general population)
Punishment proportional to the crime
It helps prevent the victims of the crime to seek
for revenge.
Utilitarian According to utilitarian theories, punishment For example, murder calls for
is justified by its deterrence of criminal imprisonment or even the death
behavior and by its other beneficial penalty.
consequences for individuals as well as for General deterrence: Laws designed to
society. Among several utilitarian theories prevent driving under the influence of
recognized by criminologists, some stress alcohol (e.g., by setting a maximum
general deterrence and some individual legal level of blood alcohol content)
deterrence (something that makes someone can have a temporary deterrent effect
less likely to do something, by making them on a wide population, especially when
realize it will be difficult or have bad results). coupled with mandatory penalties and
The utilitarian theory of punishment seeks to a high probability of conviction.
punish offenders to discourage, or "deter,"
future wrongdoing. Individual deterrence: When a person
cheats on an exam at university, the
General deterrence: The approach based on university can ban that person from
general deterrence aims to dissuade others her right to study in this university up
from following the offender’s example. Less to five years. This teaches the person
concerned with the future behavior of the to follow the rules since his her right
offender himself, general deterrence theories to study has been removed at least in
assume that, because most individuals are that university.
rational, potential offenders will calculate the
risk of being similarly caught, prosecuted, and
Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
sentenced for the commission of a crime.
Deterrence theory has proven difficult to
validate, however, largely because the
presence of many intervening factors makes it
difficult to prove unequivocally that a certain
penalty has prevented someone from
committing a given crime. Nevertheless, there
have been occasional examples showing that
some sentences can have a strong deterrent
effect. Laws designed to prevent driving under
the influence of alcohol (e.g., by setting a
maximum legal level of blood alcohol
content) can have a temporary deterrent effect
on a wide population, especially when coupled
with mandatory penalties and a high
probability of conviction. The objective is that
the society does not follow the example of that
criminal

Individual deterrence is directed at the person

being punished: it aims to teach him not to
repeat the behavior. It is also the rationale of
much informal punishment, such as parental
punishment of children. Theoretically, the
effectiveness of individual deterrence can be
measured by examining the subsequent
conduct of the offender. Such studies often
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
have been misleading, however, because in
most cases the only basis for proving that the
offender repeated his crime is a further
conviction. Because a high proportion of
crimes do not result in convictions, many
offenders who are not reconvicted after being
punished may have committed additional
crimes. Furthermore, the general pattern of
“aging out” of crime (i.e., the fact that
criminal behavior peaks in the late teens and
early 20s and declines rapidly thereafter)
contributes to the difficulty of measuring the
effectiveness of
particular deterrence strategies.
The objective is that the same criminal does
not commit crimes again

Incapacitation Incapacitation refers to the act of making an Incapacitation prevents future crime
individual “incapable” of committing a crime by removing the defendant from
—historically by execution or banishment, society. Examples of incapacitation
and in more modern times by execution or are incarceration, house arrest, or
lengthy periods of incarceration. Most execution pursuant to the death
instances of incapacitation involve offenders penalty.
who have committed repeated crimes Quimical castration – it must be
(Multiple recidivists) under what are known as accompanied by psychological
habitual offender statutes, which permit treatment – they rape a person,
longer-than-normal sentences for a given therefore their right to have a sexual
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
offense. Incapacitation is also utilized, for life is removed – if they kill a person
example, in cases involving offenders who are their right to have a
deemed dangerous (such as those guilty of
murder) and likely to commit grave and
violent crimes unless restrained. Given the
difficulty of identifying such offenders with
certainty, the principle of incapacitation is
controversial. It has also been difficult to
reconcile with other principles, especially
those advocating equal retribution
Incapable of committing a crime
Rehabilitation The most recently formulated theory of Examples of rehabilitation include
punishment is that of rehabilitation— the idea educational and vocational programs,
that the purpose of punishment is to apply treatment center placement, and
treatment and training to the offender so that counseling. The court can combine
he is made capable of returning to society and rehabilitation with incarceration or
functioning as a law-abiding member of the with probation or parole.
community. Established in legal practice in
the
19th century, rehabilitation was viewed as a
humane alternative to retribution and
deterrence, though it did not necessarily result
in an offender receiving a more lenient penalty
than he would have received under a
retributive or deterrent philosophy. In many
cases rehabilitation meant that an offender
would be released on probation under some
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
condition; in other cases, it meant that he
would serve a relatively longer period in
custody to undergo treatment or training. One
widely used instrument of rehabilitation in the
United States was the indeterminate sentence,
under which the length of detention was
governed by the degree of reform the offender
exhibited while incarcerated.

VIDEO: Meet the Judge Who Went Viral for His Creative Punishments
a. Now that you have heard about some examples of creative justice, how would you define the concept of creative
justice?
b. Do you think that creative justice fits any crime?
c. Why do you think that there are judges that resort to creative justice?
d. What are the limits of creative justice?
e. Do you think that these creative sentences are fair for the victims?

Creative justice could be defined as non traditional punishments which main goal is that the crimminals learn from
what they have done wrong. The idea is to find a grey area where people can learn before just being sent to prison
and have a criminal record for life. However, this does not mean creative justice fits any crime. I personally believe
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
that these types of punishments are the best option for misdemeanors, especially if there is their first time ever
commiting a crime, since it teaches them a lesson without being alienated from society due to jail; but I do not
believe that people who commit felonies such as rape or kidnapping should not have that kind of option. I think that
maybe judges do not feel that jailtime is the fairest and more logical punishment for certain crimes. Some judges
such as judge chick from ohaio, may want to deal with these criminals more personally, and not just find an easy
solution that may not be effective. Eventhough the famous quote that is involved with these types if punishments is
“An eye for an eye”, creative justice does not include illegal actions that could make any physical or psychological
harm. For example, spraying in the face with pepperspray, or leaving someone in a place full of garbage with no
food for a week, despite those were the things they did. How fair these kinds of punishments I guess it depends of
the victim. For example, the dog who was left in a horrible house full of garbage without food for a whole week,
was not going to get better just because his owner was punished to go to a county fump to a landfill and spend eight
hours there cleaning. That is not going make all the damage the dog suffer disapear. So I would not use the word
“fair” there because I do not think that is enough to compare to what that little dog suffered. It does sound logical
and I think is a better option than jail, but I do not think that is fair to the victim. However, there are other cases that
even the victim consider the punishment fair. For example, a man whose bike was stolen by a teenanger thought
that it was much better that the kid were made to ride a bike in the “fair parade” and be embarrased than to ruin his
life in jail.
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment

READING PUNISHMENT
Usually the first response I get when talking about radically re-envisioning our criminal legal system away from
mass incarceration is: “But what are we going to do about the violent criminals who are a danger to us?”
Putting aside the fact that only a slice of incarcerated people are in jails and prisons due to violent crime, the
argument assumes that there is a separate category of “us” and “them,” and that you can somehow lock away the
“problem” people and not have it create a destructive ripple effect for the individual, their families and all of our
communities.
Our existing system of criminalization and mass incarceration is not working, by any measure. We have the world’s
largest number and percentage of incarcerated people, and 77% of people released from state prisons are rearrested
within five years. As the Prison Policy Initiative says, poverty is not only a predictor of incarceration, it’s also
frequently the outcome, as a criminal record and time spent in prison “destroys wealth, creates debt and decimates
job opportunities.”
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
Capital Punishment (is a state-sanctioned practice of putting a person to death as a punishment for a
crime.)
I will admit, like Socrates and Aristotle and Plato and some other philosophers, that there are instances where the
death penalty would seem appropriate. — Jack Kevorkian. I agree even though I do not like the death penalty as a
punishment method – there are some despicable cases – in which I certaintly feel that even death penalty is a mercy
in comparison to what they have done to their victims – John Wayne Gacy murdered 33 people in 8 years and
sexually assulted more than 10 teenage boys that were in the age of 15

My objection to the death penalty is based on the idea that this is a democracy, and in a democracy the government
is me, and if the government kills somebody then I'm killing somebody. — Steve Earle. I disagreee / we could
applied that to any case – the abuse of power from the police – when the police kills somebody I kill somebody –
the police are the violence that people are not allow to use

Our criminal justice system is fallible. We know it, even though we don't like to admit it. It is fallible despite the
best efforts of most within it to do justice. And this fallibility is, at the end of the day, the most compelling,
persuasive, and winning argument against a death penalty. — Eliot Spitzer. I agree / not matter how much evidence
there seems to be – no one is the master of the truth – there had been cases of people who were wrongly murdered.
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment

The Pros and Cons of the Death Penalty

The Death Penalty Debate
Capital punishment is a difficult and emotional topic for many. Although it has been abolished in two-thirds of the
world's countries, it has a long history and is still used in many places, including many states in the USA.

Its use continues to divide people. To those in favor, the death penalty is seen as the most suitable punishment and
effective deterrent for the worst crimes. Those who oppose it, however, see it as inhumane and expensive. They
point to data and comparisons of societies with and without capital punishment and argue that there is no evidence
that it deters crime.

This article lists all the key pros and cons of executing people who have committed serious criminal offenses—first,
the arguments in favor, followed by the arguments against.

Death Penalty Pros

 It deters criminals from committing serious crimes. Common sense tells us that the most frightening thing for
a human being is to lose their life; therefore, the death penalty is the best deterrent when it comes to
discouraging people from carrying out the worst crimes.
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
 It is quick, painless, and humane. The methods of execution have gradually become more humane over the
years, so the argument that the death penalty is cruel and unusual is not valid.

 The legal system constantly evolves to maximize justice. Just because it is feasible that a wrong decision
could be made by the legal system doesn’t mean that the death penalty is wrong. Every effort is made in the
US to give death row prisoners opportunities to challenge the court's decisions. Modern methods of crime
detection, such as DNA testing, also give greater certainty of guilt than existed in the past.

 It appeases the victims or victims' families. The death penalty can provide families of victims with some
closure, which may help them to deal with their suffering.

 Without the death penalty, some criminals would continue to commit crimes. It deters prisoners who are
already serving life sentences in jail from committing more serious offenses.

 It is a cost-effective solution. The idea put forward by abolitionists that it costs more to execute someone
than imprison them for life is simply not true, and there is plenty of evidence to show this.
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
 Retribution is not the same as revenge. Retribution is a necessary part of the punishment process—without it,
the friends and family of the victims, as well as the public in general, would not feel that justice had been
served.

Death Penalty Cons

 There is no credible proof that the death penalty works as a deterrent. In the US, in states where the death
penalty has been abolished, there has been no significant change in the rates for serious criminal offenses,
such as murder.

 It is a cruel and unusual punishment, where basic standards of human dignity are compromised or
undermined.
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
 It continues the cycle of violence. Retribution is just another word for revenge—it is essentially just a form
of the flawed thinking that two wrongs can make a right. The pro argument is that killing people is wrong;
therefore, you should kill people for killing, which makes no sense. . .

 It affects the poorer segments of society and racial minorities disproportionately, in part because they cannot
afford the costs of good legal support. In the USA, although only 13% of the population is African-
American, 50% of death row prisoners are African-American.

 It is an old-fashioned and ignorant solution. America’s image would be improved in places like Europe if the
death penalty were abolished. The places where executions happen regularly include repressive regimes like
Iran, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia.

 The justice system is bound to make mistakes. In the case of people who are wrongly imprisoned, they can
be released from prison and given compensation, but a wrongful execution can never be righted.
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
 The death penalty is not cost-effective. When all the practical and legal costs are taken into account, it is
clear that the execution is more expensive than imprisoning for life.

 A life spent in prison is a worse punishment than an execution. A life sentence prisoner has many years to
endure their punishment, as well as experience remorse and reflect on his or her crimes.
 There are strong religious arguments against the death penalty. Life is sacred and God-given. Divine
judgment comes in the afterlife.
Considering the pros and cons of capital punishment, do you think that the death penalty should be applied in
Argentina? Why? Why not?
I think that Argentina has lot to improve in the criminal justice system before even considering death penalty as a
punishment for crimes. Rapists are free within months whereas some trials dure for years and years and people are
never cleared of their charges (consequences in their lives)

Models of Crime Prevention Prepared by Garner Clancey

There are four key models of crime prevention. Each model employs different approaches to prevent crime. Some
methods of crime prevention bring about quick results, while others can take many years to result in lower crime.
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
Each model has strengths and weaknesses. Ideally, the best way to prevent crime is to use a combination of
strategies from each model.
Developmental: Often known as early intervention, developmental crime prevention seeks to address the early
causes of criminality. Reducing community and individual risk factors and increasing protective factors, help to
prevent crime later in life. The most celebrated examples of developmental crime prevention include parenting
programs, school enrichment initiatives, pre-school regimes and improvements in transition to school
arrangements.
Social: Strengthening neighbourhoods helps prevent crime. Local communities that have strong bonds and where
people know each other are less prone to experience crime. Enhancing ‘social capital’ or the relationships between
people can be beneficial in protecting people from crime. Effective social crime prevention is difficult to achieve
because it can involve so many different aspects. Community building activities, provision of welfare services and
increasing community support groups all help to enhance the sense of community and prevent crime.

Situational: Stopping the opportunities for crime is an effective way of preventing crime. Increasing the risks of
detection, reducing the rewards for offending and increasing the difficulty of offending are all ways to prevent
crime. Situational crime prevention can be as simple as installing locks and alarms, increasing surveillance through
lighting and making buildings harder to enter, damage or hide near.
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
Criminal Justice: The form of crime prevention most commonly understood is associated with the criminal justice
system: police, courts and prisons. Research tends to suggest that these measures are only partially successful.
These measures work best when accompanied by the other models. More police, improved arrest rates, harsher
penalties and prison are some of the common strategies associated with the criminal justice system. Increasingly
there is recognition that there are smarter ways to stop crime – these rely on all models of crime prevention working
together. The causes of crime are complex. Preventing crime will work best when these complex causes are
understood and addressed. Using strategies from each of these models will generally be the most effective way to
tackle crime, because all aspects of the particular crime will be considered.
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment

The life of David Gale

THE DEATH PENALTY
IN FAVOUR AGAINST
-Dangerous prisoners have the possibility, -It has not been proven that death penalty
no matter how slight, to escape from prison deters people from committing further
and posing a risk to society again. However, crimes.
there is no escaping from death penalty. I believe that the biggest deterrent for a
person would be other human connections
- Punishment certainty fits the crime. like their families or even with themselves. I
Especially in terrible crimes such as the think it is much more likely that they find
murder of several people death penalty themselves saying “No but if I do this, it is
imposes some sort of justice. going to damage the people I love, or I an
putting my freedom at stake” than “Oh I
could lose my life due to death penalty”

-It is not necessary a cost-effective solution.

It's the ability for inmates to appeal on the tax
payer's dollar over and over again until the
day they are executed, even if every time the
same verdict is reached that makes the costs
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
so high to execute. For example, in the movie
“The life of David Gale” in the state of Texas

Which countries currently apply capital punishment?

The following methods of execution have been used by various countries:

- Hanging (Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Sudan, Pakistan, Palestinian National Authority,
Israel, Yemen, Egypt, India, Myanmar, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Syria, UAE, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Liberia)
- Shooting (the People's Republic of China, Republic of China, Vietnam, Belarus, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Somalia,
North Korea, Indonesia, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Yemen, and in the US states of Oklahoma and
Utah).
- Lethal injection (United States, Guatemala, Thailand, the People's Republic of China, Vietnam)
- Beheading (Saudi Arabia)
- Stoning (Nigeria, Sudan)
- Electrocution and gas inhalation (some U.S. states, but only if the prisoner requests it or if lethal injection is
unavailable)
- Inert gas asphyxiation (Some U.S states, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Alabama)
The United States has the highest number in the whole

Death Penalty in Texas

Capital punishment is a legal penalty in the state of Texas, part of the United States.
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
In 1982, the state became the first jurisdiction in the world to carry out an execution by lethal injection, when it
executed Charles Brooks Jr.. It was the first execution in the state since 1964.
Texas, which is the second most populous state of the Union, has executed 572 offenders from the U.S. capital
punishment resumption in 1976 (beginning in 1982 with the Brooks execution) to June 30, 2021 (the execution of
John William Hummel), more than a third of the national total.
Death penalty was highly critizice in Texas for a long time because it was thought. Carlos DeLuna was convicted of
murder and executed in 1989 for the killing of a 24-year-old gas station attendant on the evening of February 4,
1983.[61] Since DeLuna's execution by lethal injection, doubts have been raised about the conviction and the
question of his guilt. An investigation published by the Columbia Human Rights Law Review in May 2012 has
strengthened these claims of innocence by detailing a large amount of evidence suggesting the actual murderer was
Carlos Hernandez, a similar a similar-looking man who lived in a nearby neighbourhood.

1- Throughout the movie, which charges does David Gale face? Rape at the first part of the movie, and then
rape and premiditated murder of Constance Harraway.
2- What happens as a result of those charges? He lost everything. He lost his job, his marriage fall apart, he
find only confort in the booze which made everything worse for him.
3- What is the case around which the movie revolves?
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
The rape and murder of Constance Harraway. Constance was murdered by what it is known as the Securitate
method. You are handcuffed, forced to swallow the key, your mouth is taped and a bag is sealed around your head,
and you are left there to suffocate. The securitate did it to the romanian when they would not inform or confess.
Sometimes your bag was ripped off at the last moment to give you a second chance. Otherwise you die knowing
that the key to your freedom was inside of you the entire time.

4- Why has Gale’s case received nation-wide media attention?

The case has received nationwide media attention because Gale and Harraway were activists for death watch
(ironic)
5- What evidence was presented in the trial against Gale?
Gale’s DNA was everywhere. His semen was inside of her. He was seen leaving her house. His prints were all in
the kitchen including half a thumbprint in the bag
6- What is Death Watch?
A non profit abolitionist organization
7- What objectives does it have?
They wish that Texas stopped having th execusion as a form of punishment
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
8- How did Constance actually die? She killed herself. She swallow the key with water, put tape in her mouth,
put a bag around her head, close the bag, and cuffed herself. Then she stayed in the floor until she died from
suffocation.
9- Why did Constance, David and Dusty do what they did? Which was their intention? What did they have to
lose? I think they did it because for them it was the only way to finally beat the system, and prove how
outstrageous would be that a prisoner who was indeed innocent, were killed because of the lethal injection.
They may have wanted the public to feel how horrible that is in real life. Their final intention may have been
to weaken the faith people have in the justice system and understand that nobody has the absolute truth. They
all had a lot to lose. Especially Constance and David, since their lives were at stake. However, Constance
may have not believed that, since she was already dying of leukimia and she may have thought she could use
her life for something better. David’s life was already ruined too. He was an alcoholic who was unable to
leave the bottle 100 percent; therefore, he was not able to see his child. He had that criminal record of being
accused of rape; consequently, he was unable to get a job like the one he had before and they did not even
want him in Death Watch. Dusty had to lose of the person he cared about most, that was Constance, and he
could finally make a difference with Death Watch. He indeed was the one who suffered the least during those
years, but he had to run away as soon as everyone had the tape, for being accomplice to murder. They wanted
their deaths to mean something
DAVID GALE
Personality Trait Example
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
-Very intelligent -We can see this when he is debating with
-Egocentric – self-centered the governor about death penalty.
-Alcoholic -He could not help himself and fall into a
-Committed to their cause trap into the middle of the debate. If he had
-Impulsive stick to their plan he may not have been so
exposed. Even Constance thinks this when
she tells him “It means that Deathwatch
suffers because you are so anxious to finger
authority, to publicly prove that David Gale
is so much fucking smarter than the powers
that be!”
-In many scenes of the movie he is with a
bottle around. In the party, when he is in
his office, in the bar, when he is in the
street screaming the history of death
penalty. In one part even the person he was
hoping that would hire him said “Hell… It is
not even your alcohol problem”. Because of
this desease he has, he cannot see his child.
He even goes to an AA meeting and accepts
that he is an alcoholic.

-He was very committed to his cause. So

committed that he endures years of prison
and people telling him horrible things. He
endured years of being called murderer and
rapist. He never saw his son again. They
gave him the lethal injection and he died
after being miserable for years. And he
went through all that pain willingly. To save
their cause. As if that had been the last
thing that really mattered.
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment

BITSEY BLOOM
Personality Trait Example
-Loyal person who keeps her promises -We can see this since she says everything
(secretive) that is “off record” she takes it to her grave.
-Empathetic person (sensitive) “protecting sources, even kiddie porn scum
-Very smart is the magazine policy … and mine”
-Hard working
-Trough the movie we can see how she was
touched by the case of Constance. We can
see it at the disgust she showed about how
she was murdered and how devastated she
was after seeing the tape of Constance’s
murder

-She realizes the truth of the death of

Constance by recreating the same
conditions and doing what Constance did
by herself.

CONSTANCE HARRAWAY
Personality Trait Example
-Meticolous -She helped Gale prepare the debate with
-Loyal to Gale the governor. She knew every argument
-Compassionate that the governor may bring on, and she
-Committed to their cause had prepared possible answers. She knew
by heart the possible justification of the
governor. She even brought her own copy
of the Amnesty stats in case David forgot,
which he did.
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
-When he was put in a sabbatical, she was
loyal to him and told him who had voted
for and against him and was direct with him
the whole time. Even when she wasn’t
supposed to.
-The way she speaks about the people who
are on death road, shows a lot of humanity
and compassion. Since, even though they
may have done unspeakable things, she
believes that they deserve a chance of
redemption and life. She is devastated
when Beatty sue jonhson suffered the letal
injection despite all of their efforts.

-We can see through the entire movie how

committed she is to the cause – how she
talks in the protests and interventions they
made – how she cried and break when they
could not save a prisoner – but the best
proof of her commitment is the way she
died. She killed herself in a horrible way, in
order to make it look like murder, she
suffered the last moments of her life. She
died in pain. And all having blind trust that
they would move on with the plan
During the first time of the movie

Vocabulary from the movie Definition Examples

To stay of execution a delay in carrying out a court order. Bitsey wished to convice the judge
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
to give David a state of execution,
in order to have more time to pove
his innocense.
On death row a prison block or section for those Death row – where immates live
sentenced to death.
Moratorium /ˌmɔːrəˈtɔːriəm/ a temporary prohibition of an If activists from Death Watch had
activity. ever had absolute proof that they
had executed an innocent, they
could have demanded a moratorium
in order to stop them from killing
more
Retrial /ˌriːˈtraɪəl/ a process of judging a law case in If Bitsey had delivered the tape in
court again time, the case would have probably
gone trough a retrial, and maybe
Gale would have been cleared of
charges.
Postponement /poʊsˈpoʊn/ the action of postponing something;
deferral.
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
Reduce sentence a term that applies to the lessening They are appeling with the hope to
of a sentence or the severity of a reduce their
punishment.
Abolitionist /ˌæbəˈlɪʃənɪst/ someone who wants to end a system
or law
To commute a sentence To “commute a sentence” is the A ten-year sentence may be
power to substitute a sentence commuted to a five-year sentence
imposed by the judiciary for a lesser
sentence. In other words, it means
the power to reduce or lessen a
sentence resulting from a criminal
conviction.
To bail someone out of jail to give money to a court when
someone is allowed to stay out of
prison while they wait for their trial.
My father got a lawyer and bailed
me out. Synonyms and related
words. Getting out of prison. bail.
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
Visitation /ˌvɪzɪˈteɪʃən/ an official visit to a place or
person // an occasion when a parent
is allowed to spend time with the
children after a divorce, or the right
to do this
Custody hearing is an official court meeting that is
conducted in order to resolve
various legal issues revolving
around child custody
Mitigating factor Any fact or circumstance that
lessens the severity or culpability of
a criminal act.
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment

1. Now that you’ve watched the complete movie, say what the movie is about. How does your
answer compare to the one you gave to question 4 in the Pre-watching Activities section?
David Gale is married and has one son; he is Head of the Philosophy Department at the University of Austin,
has written two books and is also a member of Deathwatch, a group campaigning against capital punishment.
Constance Harraway, a felow Deathwatch activist and a close friend, is found raped and murdered. The physical
evidence at the crime scene points to Gale, who is convicted of her rape and murder and is, ironically sentenced
to death. Davvid Gale is then a prisoner on death row Texas. With only a few days to his execution, his lawyer
negotiates a half million-dollar fee to tell his stort to Bitsey Bloom, a journalist from a major news magazine
known for her ability to keep secrets and protect her sources. He tells her the story of how he ended up on death
row.

2. What arguments are presented in the movie in favor of and against capital punishment?
“I hate killing and my administration will kill to stop it” Governor of Texas
“Murderers are not deterred by the thought of execution. Every single study that has been done on this subject, and
there’s been over 200, have reached the same conclusion. They all say the same thing”
“Well maybe you should read your Bible. Deuteronomy 19:21. An eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth”
“Gandhi said that the old law of an eye for an eye leaves us all blind”
“People are condemning people to death based on phony expert testimony, on junk science, on jailhouse snitches.
Texas has the highest per capita incarceration rate in the world, including in China. Forty-three people that were
executed were represented by lawyers who at one time were disbarred or sanctioned.”
This punishment specific targets minorities specifically people of color
 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
People

3. Explain the death row process in Texas as portrayed in the movie.

1. All executions in the state of Texas occur over at their Huntsville unit downtown, but death row was in the
Ellis unit for that time being (they would be moving it to the Terrel unit to the end of the year). That was the
home to all 442 offenders prior to their date. Average stay on the row is nine years. Some of their sentences
are commuted, but most are sentenced to death. There had to be various instances of appeal. More than one
court has to find him guilty. They have a last meal, they have the lethal injection, executions are carried out
at 6 pm, Relatives can be present and they declare to the media, people protesting or showing support to the
system.
2.

4. What is the movie’s final message?

The message of this movie is that no matter how much evidence there seems to be, no one has the absolute truth
that that person is not innocent. Wrongful executions can happen
5. It has been said the The Life of David Gale is a “heavy-handed” (not subtle) message movie.
Do you agree? Why/Why not?
Yes, I agree. We see everything in a very cruel way. For example, the fact that an innocent man’s life is ruined
because of a false accusation
6. In your opinion, why is the movie entitled “The Life of David Gale”?
Because that was the price for proving his point. He sacrificed his life to prove innocent man and woman could be
killed

COMMITED TO THEIR CAUSE

 Unit 5 Language II: Crime and Punishment
MAKE A COMMITMENT WITH THE CAUSE

Meanings and implications of certain quotes

1. “You are here because I want to be remembered as much for how I lived my life and the
decisions that I made as for how my life ended.” (David Gale)
I believe this is a strong quote since it is a sad truth, that when a person is found guilty of a crime, especially a
horrible crime such as murder or rape, the only thing that matters and it is remembered form that person is his or
her crime. How he or she lived and the decisions they have made is completely erased and everything that person
was is reduced to those actions and those moments.

2. “What it means to be fully human is to strive to live by ideas and ideals and not to
measure your life by what you’ve attained in terms of your desires, but those small
moments of integrity, compassion, rationality, even self-sacrifice. Because in the end, the
only way that we can measure the significance of our own lives is by valuing the lives of
others.” (David Gale)

Make reference to