Российской Федерации»
(Финансовый университет)
Кафедра «Иностранные языки-3»
Legal English-2
Английский для юристов
Учебные материалы для студентов
юридических специальностей
Москва – 2015
Федеральное государственное образовательное учреждение
высшего профессионального образования
«Финансовый университет при Правительстве
Российской Федерации»
(Финансовый университет)
Кафедра «Иностранные языки-3»
Legal English-2
Английский для юристов
Учебные материалы для студентов
юридических специальностей
Москва – 2015
Legal English-2. Английский для юристов:
Учебные материалы по английскому языку для студентов юридических специальностей/
Составитель: М.В. Алисевич, Л.П. Дубодел, Н.В. Банина
М: Финуниверситет, 2015
Рецензент: М.В. Мельничук
Данное издание представляет собой сборник текстов и упражнений для студентов юридических специальностей.
Материалы сборника позволяют овладеть правовой лексикой, изучить основные понятия юриспруденции на аутентичном материале, познакомиться с функционированием государственных и судебных структур Великобритании, США и России, развить навыки анализа текста, необходимые для юриста-профессионала.
ВВЕДЕНИЕ
Пособие, представляющее собой аутентичные тексты и разнообразные упражнения по основным правовым и государственным системам Великобритании, США и Российской Федерации, предназначено для студентов-юристов.
Пособие построено по тематическому принципу, воссоздаёт историю и функционирование государственных и судебных структур Великобритании, США и России, освещает их современное устройство.
Юридическая лексика закрепляется в многочисленных упражнениях, имеющих целью формирование речевых навыков. Грамматические упражнения направлены на систематизацию накопленных знаний и на усвоение новых конструкций, характерных для юридических текстов.
Исходя из потребностей будущих юристов, пособие ставит своей целью научить студентов общению на профессиональные темы, проводить презентации, участвовать в диспутах и дискуссиях, читать, переводить и анализировать специальную литературу. Для решения этих задач тексты снабжены вопросами для обсуждения и темами для дискуссий.
Пособие соответствует требованиям учебных программ юридических ВУЗов и дает возможность, благодаря разнообразию текстов и заданий разного объёма и степени сложности, последовательно провести студентов по разделам специальной юридической лексики, заложить основы и сформировать навыки работы с литературой по специальности и использовать полученные знания для бесед и дискуссий на пройденные темы.
Chapter VII CRIMES AND TORTS
Unit 21 Crimes
Before you read
Discuss these questions.
1 What type of conduct is considered to be a crime?
2 What are possible causes of crimes? Give different opinions on the reasons for crime.
3 Is crime rate increasing all over the world? If yes, why?
Text A
What is Crime?
Crime is an act which the state considers to be wrong and which can be punished by the state. There are some acts which are crimes in one country but not in another. For example, it is a crime to drink alcohol in Saudi Arabia, but not in Egypt. It is a crime to smoke marijuana in England, but not (in prescribed places) in the Netherlands. It is a crime to have more than one wife at the same time in France, but not in Indonesia. In general, however, there is quite a lot of agreement among states as to which acts are criminal. Avisitor to a foreign country can be sure that stealing, physically attacking someone or damaging their property will be unlawful. But the way of dealing with people suspected of crime may be different from his own country.
In many legal systems it is an important principle that a person cannot be considered guilty of a crime until the state proves he committed it. The suspect himself need not prove anything, although he will of course help himself if he can show evidence of his innocence. The state must prove his guilt according to high standards and there are elements that must be proved. In codified systems, these elements are usually recorded in statutes. In common law systems, the elements of some crimes are detailed in statutes; others, known as "common law crimes", are still described mostly in case law.
In most cases, a crime must include both a criminal act (actus reus) and a criminal intent (mens rea).
Example: No Actus Reus
Dave Deviant thinks about assaulting Veronica Victim, but does nothing about it.
No crime, not even attempted assault.
Example: No Mens Rea
Ida Innocent, through no intent, negligence, or other fault of her own, collides with Veronica Victim and kills her. No crime.
These two concepts remain important, although some statutory offences are crimes per se, with the mens rea requirement presumed or eliminated.
Arrests and searches must be based on probable cause, not mere suspicion. Criminal charges may have to meet an even higher standard. At trial, guilt must be proved beyond reasonable doubt.
Rules of evidence, designed to exclude irrelevant, unreliable, or unfairly prejudicial matters, control the version of the facts presented at trial.
It can be seen therefore that there are two fundamental elements to a crime – a physical element known as the actus reus and a mental element known as mens rea. This can clearly be seen in a diagrammatic form:
 OFFENCE
   _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
ACTUS REUS MENS REA
  _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
CONDUCT CIRCUMSTANCE CONSEQUENCE MENTAL ELEMENTS NEGLIGENCE
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
INTENTION/ RECKLESSNESS SPECIAL
KNOWLEDGE MENTAL
   STATES
POSITIVE NEGATIVE
COMISSION OMISSION
Elements forming part of the actus reus Elements forming part of the mens rea |
Before a person can be convicted of a crime it is necessary for the prosecution to prove both elements, i.e.:
(a) that a certain event or state of affairs which is forbidden by the criminal
law has been caused by D’s* conduct; and
(b) that D's conduct was accompanied by the necessary mens rea to establish
the offence.
It is quite clear that the burden of proving these essential elements of any offence rests upon the prosecution who must prove the existence of both elements beyond reasonable doubt.
____________________
* Defendant’s
Vocabulary
actus reus лат. виновное действие
assault n 1 нападение; 2 угроза физическим насилием
beyond reasonable doubt при отсутствии малейшего основания для
сомнения
burden of proving бремя доказывания
cause n основание
collide v сталкиваться
commission n совершение (действия)
commit a crime v совершить преступление
conduct n поведение
convict of a crime v осудить за совершение преступления
crime n 1 преступление; 2 преступность; criminal 1 n преступление;
2 adj преступный; уголовный; criminal act n преступное
действие; преступление; criminal intent n умысел; criminal charge n обвинение в совершении преступления; уголовное обвинениe
eliminate v исключать
evidence of innocence n доказательство невиновности
exclude v исключить
fault n 1 вина; небрежность; 2 проступок
guilt n вина; виновность; guilty of a crime виновный в совершении
преступления
i.e. abbr. of id est т.е., (то есть)
irrelevant adj не относящийся к делу
marijuana n марихуана
mens rea лат. виновная воля; преднамеренность; умысел
negligence n небрежность
offence n 1 правонарушение; 2 преступление
omission n бездействие; несовершение действия
per se лат. сам по себе; по существу
prejudicial adj 1 предвзятый; 2 наносящий ущерб / вред
presume v полагать; считать доказанным
prosecution n обвинение (как сторона в уголовном процессе)
prove v доказывать
punish v наказывать; punishment n наказание
recklessness n опрометчивость; грубая неосторожность
rules of evidence норма доказательственного права
search n обыск
standard n здесь уровень, норма, критерий
statute n статут; законодательный акт
steal v красть; украсть; stealing n кража, воровство
suspect v подозревать; the suspect n подозреваемый;
suspected of crime подозреваемый в совершении преступления
unreliable adj ненадежный
wrong n правонарушение
Text A
Reading tasks
Answer these questions.
1 What is a crime?
2 Is it possible to consider an act of crime in one country as an act of crime in another?
3 What are the two elements of a crime?
4 What is the difference between mens rea and actus reus?
5 What must be proved by prosecution?
Vocabulary tasks
A Match the English words and expressions with their Russian equivalents.
| damages | a | собственность | |
| evidence | b | уголовное право | |
| legal | c | соглашение | |
| robbery | d | доказывать | |
| to deal with | e | прецедентное право | |
| common law | f | иметь дело с | |
| relations | g | общее право | |
| case law | h | доказательства | |
| agreement | i | отношения | |
| to prove | j | ущерб | |
| property | k | законный | |
| criminal law | l | ограбление |
B Complete the sentences according to the content of the text.
1 A person may be guilty of murder if he killed someone...
a intentionally
b having intended to injure him slightly
c without caring about the danger of his action
2 The court must prove a person's guilt according to...
a common sense
b proof of crime elements recorded in statutes or codes
c the suspect's proof of his innocence
3 At common law, actus reus and mens rea are…
a restrictions of evidence
b the two necessary elements of a crime
c statutory offences
4 If the prosecution fails to prove either actus reus or mens rea, the court must decide…
a there was no crime
b there was an error
c the person was guilty
C Complete the sentences with the words from the box.
|
1.. Someone who steals a lot is ………
2.. Someone who killed a person is ………
3.. Someone who is suspected of a crime is ………
4.. Someone who is found not guilty is ………
5 A document which regulates legal behaviour is ………
6 A document which details elements of a crime is ………
Text B
What Type of Conduct Amounts to a Crime
Law makes conduct criminal if by causing or threatening harm it creates a sense of insecurity. What counts as harm depends to some extent on what each society thinks is objectionable. But behaviour that strikes at people's lives and bodies, their property or the safety of the whole community is everywhere regarded as harmful.
To begin with people's lives and bodies, all countries make it a crime intentionally to kill another person (murder) or to wound them. It is also a crime to threaten someone in such a way that they think that they are about to be killed or wounded (assault). Equally or more disturbing is forcing someone to have sexual intercourse against their will (rape).
We all have an interest in other people not being murdered, wounded or
raped not only ourselves and our families. In practice, however, the state
and its officials often cannot prosecute the wrongdoer unless the victim
(for example the woman raped) reports what has happened and gives
evidence against her attacker.
The crimes mentioned are offences against our bodies or persons. There are also offences against property. Property is an element of stability in people's lives, whether they are rich or poor. Theft is in all countries a crime.
Vocabulary
assault n угроза физическим насилием; покушение на нанесение удара
cause harm v причинять вред, ущерб
cause offence v совершать преступление
conduct n поведение
give evidence v давать показания
offences against bodies or person преступления против личности
offences against property преступления против собственности
prosecute the wrongdoer v преследовать нарушителя в судебном порядке
rape v изнасиловать; n изнасилование
theft n воровство
threaten harm v угрожать нанесением вреда, ущерба
undermine v подрывать, наносить вред
victim n жертва
wound v ранить
Reading tasks
Answer these questions.
1 When does law make conduct criminal?
2 What behaviour is regarded as harmful?
3 What do all countries consider to be a crime?
4 What crimes are mentioned in this text?
5 Why is it often difficult to prosecute the wrongdoer?
6 How are offences classified?
Language focus
Complete the sentences using the correct form of the words and the correct preposition from the box. Some prepositions are used twice.
|
1 Her employer / accuse / her / steal / money.
2 The lock / prevent/ the burglar / break / the house.
3 He / be / convict / murder.
4 His friend / be / arrest / sell / drugs / teenagers.
5 Crimes / the elderly / are / become / more common.
6 He / serve / a five year sentence / robbery / violence.
Vocabulary tasks
A Match the legal terms with their definitions.
| victim | a | a person who commits a crime | |
| assault | b | the state of being not safe or protected | |
| criminal | c | damage or injury that is caused by a person or an event | |
| harm | d | a person who does something dishonest or illegal | |
| safety | e | a person who had been attacked, injured or killed as the result of a crime, an accident | |
| wrongdoer | f | the crime of attacking somebody physically | |
| insecurity | g | the state of being protected from danger or harm |
B Complete the newspaper extracts using the correct form of the words and phrases from the box.
|
Thug Behind Bars
THUG MARTIN SMITH, who has areputation for starting fights in nightclubs, was thrown into jail yesterday for a four year stretch after smashing the nose of a 1) __________ footballer. The attack was so violent that soccer superstar Pete Thirsk needed 24 stitches.
The judge heard how Smith 2) __________ a punch up with Thirsk after a night out on the town in June....
Martine Moon Murdered
MARTINE MOON, internationally renowned star of film and stage, was found dead in her New York apartment last night. Sources report that the actress was found with 3) __________ injuries to her head and body. So malicious was the attack, it is reported that police who found the body were unable to identify it immediately as that of the actress. A murder investigation is underway.
Miss Moon, who had recently been 4) __________ to star in a new Hollywood blockbuster, is reported to have been found surrounded by photographs 5) __________ her with a number of male co-stars. Such was the attention she received from admirers around the world, it is thought that jealousy is the motive behind the murder....