Crime And Justice Vocabulary

noun a snatch or act of catching something in motion

verb to intercept and hold (something that has been thrown, propelled, or dropped)

• The police were able to catch the thief red-handed.
• I'll catch you later for a coffee, okay?
• I caught the latest episode of that show last night.
• She tried to catch his eye from across the room.

noun a weapon consisting of a metal tube, with mechanical attachments, from which projectiles are shot by the force of an explosive

preposition indicating the object of an action or the goal of a movement

• The police officer drew his gun for protection.
• He always carries a gun for self-defense.
• I heard he's packing heat for the party tonight.
• She always has a sharp wit ready to gun for any argument.

verb to accuse or blame someone for a crime or wrongdoing

• The suspect was inculpated based on the evidence presented in court.
• He got inculpated for stealing from the store.
• She was totally inculpated for skipping school.
• His reckless behavior inculpated him in the eyes of his peers.

noun a person who follows the law or rules

adjective describing someone who obeys the law or follows rules

• The law abiding citizens of the town always follow the rules and regulations set by the government.
• My neighbor is one of the most law abiding people I know; he never even jaywalks.
• Dude, you gotta be more law abiding if you don't want to get in trouble with the cops.
• In a world full of chaos, being law abiding is like finding a rare gem.

noun The state or quality of being without law; anarchism.

• The government is cracking down on the lawlessness in the city.
• There's been a lot of lawlessness in this neighborhood lately.
• The lawlessness in this town is out of control.
• The lawlessness of his actions was a clear sign of his rebellion.

verb to steal or take something, typically in a small or casual way

adjective having a small cut or notch

• The thief was caught and charged for nicking expensive jewelry from the store.
• I accidentally nicked my finger while chopping vegetables.
• He's always trying to nick a free ride from his friends.
• Her sharp wit nicked at his ego during the argument.

noun a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea

adverb a word that modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb, indicating the manner, place, time, or degree of the action

• The government's new policy aims to bring more transparency by putting all information out in the open.
• Let's just lay all our cards out in the open and see where we stand.
• We need to spill the tea and put everything out in the open.
• Her emotions were out in the open for everyone to see after the breakup.

noun a civil force of officers responsible for the prevention and detection of crime and the maintenance of public order

• The police are conducting a thorough investigation into the robbery.
• I saw the police car speeding down the street with its sirens blaring.
• I don't trust the cops, they always seem to be up to something shady.
• The police of the internet, also known as moderators, are responsible for maintaining order in online communities.

noun a gunfight or battle in which each side tries to kill as many of the other side as possible

verb to engage in a gunfight or battle

• The police were called to the scene of a shoot out between rival gangs.
• Did you hear about the shoot out that happened downtown last night?
• I can't believe there was a shoot out at the party, things got crazy!
• The debate turned into a verbal shoot out as the candidates attacked each other's policies.

noun the action or practice of shooting with a gun or other weapon

verb the act of firing a gun or other weapon

adjective relating to the act of shooting or aimed at shooting

• The police are investigating the shooting that took place last night.
• Did you hear about the shooting downtown?
• That shooting was totally messed up.
• Her sharp shooting words hit me like bullets.

noun a large number or amount of something, especially in a brief period of time

• The recent spate of cyber attacks has raised concerns about data security.
• There has been a spate of car break-ins in the neighborhood lately.
• There's been a spate of drama on social media this week.
• A spate of emotions washed over her as she read the letter.

noun goods or property taken by force; plunder

verb to plunder or strip of possessions by force; to loot or rob

• The archaeologists were careful not to spoliate the ancient artifacts during excavation.
• Hey, don't spoliate my room while I'm gone!
• I can't believe you spoliated my sandwich without asking!
• The corrupt officials continued to spoliate the country's resources for their own gain.

noun a member of a vigilance committee

• Vigilantes took it upon themselves to patrol the neighborhood and report any suspicious activity to the authorities.
• The vigilantes in our town are always keeping an eye out for troublemakers.
• Those vigilantes are like the neighborhood watch on steroids.
• In the world of cybersecurity, white-hat hackers are often seen as the vigilantes protecting against cyber threats.

noun identity

• The police realized it was a case of mistaken identity when they found the real suspect.
• I thought you were someone else, it was just a case of mistaken identity.
• Dude, that was totally a case of mistaken identity, I swear it wasn't me!
• Her actions were misunderstood as malicious, but it was simply a case of mistaken identity.