B1 Conversation

Crime & Prevention

Engage: T gives students 3mins to brainstorm a list of crimes in pairs. T takes feedback and
boards the vocabulary in the form of a spidergram.
T pre-teaches vocabulary by giving out cut-ups of crimes and definitions. Ss have to match the
crimes to their definitions. T takes feedback and then elicits the verb, the noun (thing) and the
noun (person).
Ss discuss the following questions:
1. Which of these crimes is the worst? Why?
2. Do you think six months for smuggling drugs is a long enough sentence? Why? Why not?
3. What sentences do you think the criminal in each crime should get?
4. Are any of these crimes common in your country?
5. Are there any crimes which you think shouldnt be regarded as crimes? What and why?
T sticks photos of celebrities on the board and writes the following
ARRESTED FOR: Child molestation, theft, drunk driving, public intoxication, traffic violation,
gun possession, drug possession
Ss try to guess who the person is in their picture and what they are charged with
T copies the worksheet for every two students in the class. T divides the class into pairs and
gives each student worksheet A or B. T instructs them that they must find out the missing
information from their worksheet? T does an example with one student:
When was Jennifer Capriati arrested?
In May 1994
What was she arrested for?
For possession of drugs.
T takes feedback.
T then divides students into groups of three or four. Give each group a copy of the questions
below. Ask groups to report back anything interesting they discussed.

1. What kind of punishment would you suggest for some of the people accused in the
photos? What kind of punishment do you think they received?
2. Are there any celebrities from your country that have been accused of a crime? Who?
What crime?
3. Do you think that rich and famous people are treated differently by the law in your
country?
4. Do celebrities have a responsibility to act as role-models for society?
Extra Discussion Group A and B
Group A
Have you ever witnessed a crime? Do you know anyone who has been the victim of a
crime?
What do you think of the police, the courts and prisons in your country? What do you
think should be done to improve them?
Do you think the punishment always fits the crime?
What should governments do to reduce crime?
Group B
Do you think there is more crime now than in the past or less? Why? What do you think
will happen in the future?
How should young offenders be dealt with? Should they be sent to prison?
How can crime be prevented?
What do you think about the death penalty?
Activate: Explain that one person in the pair is the celebrity accused of the crime, and one
person is the police officer. The third person is the lawyer representing the celebrities
(celebrities always have a lawyer with them in these cases!). Instruct the groups to role play the
situation. The police officer must ask the celebrity questions, and the lawyer and the celebrity
must try to explain their situation.





1 - Michael Jackson

2 Nick Nolte










3 - Jennifer Capriati



4 - Ozzy Osbourne

5 - Winona Ryder

6 - Bill Gates

7 - Eminem


1. Cybercrime
a. The killing of one human being by another:
2. Identity Theft
b. stealing items from a shop while pretending to be a customer/
3. Terrorism
c. The action or crime of stealing.
4. Drug Trafficking
d. To illegally have a weapon (such as knife, gun)
5. Drug Possession
e. The crime of having one or more illegal drugs in one's possession, either for personal use,
distribution, sale or otherwise.
6. Child
molestation
f. Illegal entry of a building with intent to commit a crime, especially theft.
7. Theft
g. Any violation of vehicle laws that is committed by the driver of a vehicle
8. Public
Intoxication
h. Also known as "drunk and disorderly", it is a summary offense in some countries rated to
public cases or displays of drunkenness
9. Traffic violation
i. To move things illegally, such as cigars, jewellery, into or out of a country.
10. Weapon
Possession
j. The commercial exchange of illegal drugs
11. Burglary
k. A crime involving a range of indecent or sexual activities between an adult and a child,
usually under the age of 14. In psychiatric terms, these acts are sometimes known as
pedophilia.
12. Shoplifting
l. A crime in which a criminal obtains important pieces of personal information, such as
identity card, social security or drivers license numbers, in order to pose as someone else.
13. Murder
m. Illegal activities committed on the internet
14. Smuggling
n. The use of terror in the form of violence.