Crime (Leaving Cert Spanish): Revision Notes

Crime

Key vocabulary - Crime and criminal actions

Understanding crime-related vocabulary helps you discuss current affairs and safety concerns in Spanish-speaking countries. These action verbs form the foundation of crime-related discussions in Spanish media.

Spanish	English
amenazar	to threaten
atacar	to assault
atracar	to hold up/mug
cometer un crimen	to commit a crime
herir	to injure
matar	to kill
disparar/tirotear	to shoot
robar	to rob
secuestrar	to kidnap

Crime-related nouns

These terms describe different types of crimes and criminal tools. Mastering these nouns allows you to understand news reports and discuss safety concerns with native speakers.

Spanish	English
un arma	a gun
un asesinato	a murder
un asesino/una asesina	a murderer
un atraco	a hold-up/mugging
un ladrón/una ladrona	a thief
una multa	a fine
un robo	a robbery
un tiroteo	a shooting
el chantaje	blackmail
un secuestro	a kidnapping
un/una rehén	a hostage

Legal system and justice

The Spanish legal system includes various professionals and institutions that maintain law and order. These terms are fundamental for understanding how justice works in Spanish-speaking countries.

Spanish	English
la ley	the law
la policía	the police
el/la agente de policía	police officer
la comisaría	police station
el juez	judge
el juicio	trial
el jurado	jury
el/la testigo	witness
el tribunal	court
la cárcel	prison
un preso/una presa	a prisoner

Terrorism and social issues

Spanish	English
los disturbios sociales	social unrest
una dictadura	a dictatorship
la democracia	democracy
los rebeldes	rebels
la guerra civil	civil war
una organización terrorista	a terrorist organisation
un/una terrorista	a terrorist
un atentado terrorista	a terrorist attack
una amenaza de bomba	a bomb scare
un coche bomba	a car bomb
los yihadistas	jihadists
el extremismo religioso	religious extremism
radicalizar a los jóvenes	to radicalise young people
difundir miedo	to spread fear
los estereotipos	stereotypes

International affairs and peacekeeping

Spanish news frequently covers international conflicts and peacekeeping efforts. These terms help you engage with global issues discussed in Spanish-language media.

Spanish	English
las fuerzas de pacificación	the peacekeeping force
ser solidario/solidaria	to show solidarity
la paz	peace
la ONU	the UN
los derechos humanos	human rights
el Oriente Medio	the Middle East
por motivos políticos	for political reasons
a través de vídeos en línea	through videos online

Model sentences using the vocabulary

1. El crimen es un problema serio en muchas ciudades. (Crime is a serious problem in many cities.)
2. La policía trabaja para proteger a los ciudadanos y mantener la ley. (The police work to protect citizens and uphold the law.)
3. Algunos jóvenes cometen delitos por falta de oportunidades. (Some young people commit crimes due to a lack of opportunities.)
4. Es importante respetar los derechos humanos en cualquier sistema de justicia. (It is important to respect human rights in any justice system.)
5. Las cárceles deberían ayudar a rehabilitar a los presos, no solo castigarlos. (Prisons should help to rehabilitate prisoners, not only punish them.)

Useful expressions and idioms

These phrases are commonly used when discussing crime and justice in Spanish media and conversation. Learning these idiomatic expressions will make your Spanish sound more natural and authentic.

Spanish	English
estar entre rejas	to be behind bars
cumplir condena	to serve a sentence
hacer justicia	to deliver justice
salir impune	to get away with it
tener antecedentes penales	to have a criminal record
por motivos de seguridad	for security reasons
mantener el orden público	to maintain public order
luchar contra el terrorismo	to fight against terrorism
en legítima defensa	in self-defence
estar bajo sospecha	to be under suspicion

Sample piece - Crime in modern society

Prompt: Write about crime and security concerns in your community.

La seguridad es una preocupación importante en mi barrio. Aunque generalmente es una zona tranquila, han aumentado los robos durante los últimos meses. Los ladrones suelen atacar por la noche cuando hay menos gente en las calles.

La policía local ha respondido con más patrullas, y han instalado cámaras de seguridad en las zonas más problemáticas. Sin embargo, muchos vecinos creen que no es suficiente. El mes pasado, un comerciante fue víctima de un atraco y tuvo que cerrar su tienda durante una semana.

Por suerte, la mayoría de estos crímenes no son violentos, pero es preocupante que los jóvenes no respeten la ley. En mi opinión, necesitamos más programas sociales para prevenir que los adolescentes cometan delitos. Además, sería útil tener más agentes de policía patrullando a pie, ya que esto crearía una mejor relación con la comunidad.

Sin embargo, no debemos dejarnos llevar por el pánico. A pesar de estos problemas, mi barrio sigue siendo un lugar seguro donde vale la pena vivir.

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Security is an important concern in my neighbourhood. Although it's generally a quiet area, robberies have increased during recent months. Thieves usually attack at night when there are fewer people on the streets.

Local police have responded with more patrols, and they have installed security cameras in the most problematic areas. However, many neighbours believe that it's not enough. Last month, a shopkeeper was the victim of a hold-up and had to close his shop for a week.

Fortunately, most of these crimes aren't violent, but it's worrying that young people don't respect the law. In my opinion, we need more social programmes to prevent teenagers from committing crimes. Moreover, it would be useful to have more police officers patrolling on foot, as this would create a better relationship with the community.

However, we mustn't let ourselves be carried away by panic. Despite these problems, my neighbourhood continues to be a safe place that's worth living in