Criminal Justice Jargon

noun the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice

• The medical community recognizes addiction as a serious health condition that requires treatment.
• My friend's addiction to video games is really affecting his grades.
• I can't believe how addicted I am to this new TV show.
• Her addiction to shopping is like a black hole that never seems to be filled.

noun a body of police officers, especially in a particular district

• The constabulary was praised for their swift response to the crime.
• The local constabulary is always patrolling the neighborhood.
• I heard the constabulary busted a party last night.
• The constabulary of thoughts in his mind kept him from making any rash decisions.

noun a condition characterized by the compulsive use of drugs despite negative consequences

• Drug addiction is a serious medical condition that requires professional treatment.
• My cousin has been struggling with drug addiction for years.
• She's hooked on drugs and can't seem to kick the habit.
• His addiction to drugs was like a weight dragging him down, preventing him from reaching his full potential.

noun a person who uses drugs, especially illegally or excessively

• The police are cracking down on drug users in the city.
• I heard that John's cousin is a drug user.
• Stay away from that guy, he's a heavy drug user.
• Being addicted to social media can turn someone into a digital drug user.

noun the shots fired from a gun or guns

• The police were called to the scene after reports of gunfire were heard.
• I heard some gunfire last night, it was really scary.
• There was a lot of gunfire going on, it was intense.
• His words felt like gunfire, piercing through my heart.

noun the sound made by a gun being fired

adjective describing something related to or resembling the sound of a gunshot

• The forensic team analyzed the gunshot residue found at the crime scene.
• I heard a loud gunshot coming from the woods last night.
• The gang members were caught in a shootout, exchanging gunshots in the street.
• Her words hit me like a gunshot to the heart, leaving me stunned and speechless.

noun a state of confusion or disorder; secrecy or concealment

adjective characterized by secrecy or concealment

• The company's financial records were kept in hugger mugger, making it difficult to track expenses.
• I found my keys in the hugger mugger of my messy room.
• The group of friends gathered in the hugger mugger of the basement to plan their surprise party.
• The politician's true intentions were hidden in a hugger mugger of vague promises and misleading statements.

noun a process of recognizing or distinguishing someone or something

adjective used to describe something that is able to be identified or recognized

• The identification process involves verifying a person's identity through official documents.
• Make sure to bring your identification with you when you go to the airport.
• I left my ID at home, can I still get in without identification?
• The author's use of vivid imagery in the novel serves as a form of identification for readers to connect with the story.

verb to secretly enter or gain access to a place or organization in order to gather information or cause damage

• The spy managed to infiltrate the enemy's headquarters without being detected.
• I heard that some kids tried to infiltrate the abandoned house last night.
• The hacker was able to infiltrate the company's database and steal sensitive information.
• Negative thoughts can easily infiltrate your mind if you're not careful.

noun a person who smokes marijuana

• The police arrested a known marijuana smoker for possession of illegal substances.
• I heard that John is a marijuana smoker, is that true?
• That dude is a hardcore marijuana smoker, he's always high.
• Being a marijuana smoker can cloud your judgment and hinder your decision-making abilities.

noun the action of forgiving or being forgiven for an error or offense

verb to forgive or excuse someone for an error or offense

• I beg your pardon, but could you please repeat that information?
• Pardon me, can you say that again?
• Sorry, what did you just say?
• Pardon my French, but I think you're mistaken.

verb to plan or consider beforehand; to deliberate

adjective planned or considered beforehand; deliberate

• The prosecutor argued that the crime was premeditated and carefully planned.
• She had premeditated the surprise party for weeks before his birthday.
• I can't believe he premeditated that prank on his friend!
• His decision to quit his job seemed premeditated, as if he had been planning it for a while.

noun a person who procures or obtains something, especially illegally or by deceit

• The procurer was responsible for obtaining the necessary supplies for the project.
• The procurer always knows where to find the best deals in town.
• The procurer hooked us up with some top-notch merchandise.
• She was a skilled procurer of information, always knowing where to look for the latest news.

noun a medical condition characterized by a problematic pattern of substance use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress

• Substance use disorder is a clinical term used to describe a pattern of harmful use of substances such as drugs or alcohol.
• Having a substance use disorder means struggling with addiction to drugs or alcohol.
• Dealing with substance use disorder is tough, but there are resources to help.
• Substance use disorder can feel like being trapped in a cycle of dependence and cravings.

noun a tendency to behave in an unpredictable or capricious manner

• The waywardness of the child was a constant source of concern for the teachers.
• I can't believe the waywardness of my cat, always getting into trouble.
• Her waywardness was off the charts, she just couldn't stay out of trouble.
• The waywardness of the river led to its meandering path through the valley.

noun A word used to identify any of a class of people, places, or things. In this phrase, 'sth' is a noun representing something that is seizing or capturing the subject.

verb A word used to express an action, occurrence, or state of being. In this case, 'be seized' is the verb phrase indicating being taken hold of or captured by something.

preposition A word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence. 'By' is a preposition indicating the agent or doer of the action in this phrase.

• The company's assets could be seized by the government if they fail to comply with the regulations.
• If you don't pay your taxes, your property could be seized by the IRS.
• Dude, if you don't watch out, your car could totally be seized by the cops.
• Her heart was seized by a sudden wave of emotion when she saw her childhood home.

noun a substance that increases the speed of a chemical reaction, especially one used in starting a fire or explosion

• The investigators found traces of accelerant at the scene of the fire.
• They suspect that someone used accelerant to start the fire.
• I heard they used some kind of accelerant to speed up the burning.
• His passion acted as an accelerant for his career growth.

noun rape committed by someone who is not a stranger to the victim

• Acquaintance rape is a serious crime that involves sexual assault by someone known to the victim.
• I heard about a case of acquaintance rape where the victim knew the perpetrator from work.
• Acquaintance rape is never okay, no matter how well you think you know the person.
• The betrayal felt after acquaintance rape is like a dagger in the heart of trust.