READING COMPREHENSION

CRIMINAL LAW

Prepaerd by
Dra. Hariani, M.Pd
 CRIMINAL LAW
Criminal law (also known as penal law) is the body of law that deals with crime and the legal
punishment of criminal offenses.
Criminal law seeks to protect the public from harm by inflicting punishment upon those who
have already done harm and by threatening with punishment those who are tempted to do
harm. The harm that criminal law aims to prevent varies. It may be physical harm, death, or
bodily injury to human beings; the loss of or damage to property; sexual immorality; danger to
the government; disturbance of the public peace and order; or injury to the public health.
Criminal law also often tries to avoid harm by forbidding conduct that may lead to harmful
results.
Criminal punishment, depending on the offense and jurisdiction, may include execution,
loss of liberty, government supervision (parole or probation), or fines. There are some archetypal
crimes, like murder, but the illegal acts are not wholly the same between different criminal
codes, and even within a particular code lines may be blurred, as civil law violations sometimes
give rise also to criminal consequences. Criminal law typically is enforced by the government,
unlike the civil law, which may be enforced by private parties.
Criminal law involves prosecution by the government of a person for an act that has been
classified as a crime. Civil cases, on the other hand, involve individuals and organizations seeking
to resolve legal disputes. In a criminal case, the state, through a prosecutor, initiates the suit,
while in a civil case the victim brings the suit. Persons convicted of a crime may be incarcerated,
fined, or both. However, persons found liable in a civil case may only have to give up property or
pay money, but are not incarcerated

Dra. Hariani, M.Pd. Reading

Comprehension 2 (FH) Criminal Law
Read and memorize the active vocabulary to the text

Dra. Hariani, M.Pd. Reading

Comprehension 2 (FH) Criminal Law
 VOCABULARY

Dra. Hariani, M.Pd. Reading

Comprehension 2 (FH) Criminal Law
 VOCABULARY

Dra. Hariani, M.Pd. Reading

Comprehension 2 (FH) Criminal Law
 Dra. Hariani, M.Pd. Reading
Comprehension 2 (FH) Criminal Law
B. Match the two parts of the sentences:

Dra. Hariani, M.Pd. Reading

Comprehension 2 (FH) Criminal Law
C. In the text “Criminal Law” find the synonyms for the following words
and word combinations.

1. penal law
2. criminal offense
3. civil offence
4. damage
5. penalty
6. prohibited
7. human being
8. disagreement
9. to be imprisoned
10. responsible
11. criminal code
12. control
13. be found guilty

Dra. Hariani, M.Pd. Reading

Comprehension 2 (FH) Criminal Law
D. Match the questions in the Questions box with the answers in the Answers box

Questions:
1.What is the difference between criminal and civil law?
2. Can an event be both a criminal and civil offence?
3. Can being present at the scene of a crime make you guilty?
4.What is the definition of "criminal trespass?"
5. What exactly is the felony murder law?
6. What exactly does the term "eluding a police officer" mean?
7. I was the victim of a hit and run. I located the offending vehicle and
owner. What should I do to pursue this?
8.I was involved in a hit and run accident but left the scene. Do I need an
attorney to go to court with me?

Dra. Hariani, M.Pd. Reading

Comprehension 2 (FH) Criminal Law
 D. Match the questions in the Questions box with the answers in the Answers box (Cont.)
Answers:
a . Felony murder means that all persons engaged in a felony are liable for murder if one of them kills a person during the crime
The precise definition of felony murder varies from state to state. Generally, someone is liable for murder if, during the course of committing a
serious felony with another person, someone other than one of the participants is killed.
A "serious felony" is one like arson, robbery, burglary, kidnapping, or rape.
In some states, it's a defense to felony murder if the defendant was unarmed and had no reason to believe that any of his co-conspirators was
either armed or intended to engage in any conduct dangerous to life.
b. Civil law is concerned with relationships be an individual and the state. Cases that are prosecuted are heard in criminal court.
c. Leaving the scene of an accident (hit and run) is a serious offense. In many states, it carries enough points to result in a revocation of your
driving privileges. It also carries a possible fine and jail sentence. So, you should seek legal advice right away. A criminal defense attorney in your
town can tell you what action is best to take, and whether you should have an attorney accompany you to court to speak for you and attempt a
favorable resolution of the case for you.
d. If you're the victim of a hit and run accident, you should immediately report the accident to the police, and advise them that the driver left
the scene without providing you with identification and insurance information. Ask the police to fill out a report. The report will likely be assigned
a case number either immediately or within a few days.
You should also call the claims department of your insurance company as soon as possible.
e. Yes. Depending on the circumstances, a single event may be tried in both courts. Th is is not considered double jeopardy.
f. In most states, juries are instructed that merely being present at the scene of a crime, even with guilty knowledge that a crime is being
committed, isn't enough to convict a person of a crime. But there are principles of criminal liability that apply to people other than the actual
perpetrator of a crime. For example, under federal law there is a crime called "misprision" of a felony, which applies to a person who has actual
knowledge of the commission of a felony and doesn't report it to the authorities.
g . While the precise definition can vary from state to state, a person commits the crime of "criminal trespass" when she enters or remains on
another's property without the owner's consent. You may have a defense against criminal trespass if the property was open to the public, or your
conduct didn't substantially interfere with the owner's use of the property, or you immediately left the premises when requested.
h . Fleeing or eluding police occurs when a police officer gives you a visual or audible signal to stop, whether by hand, voice, emergency light or
siren, and you don't obey.
It's unlawful for a person who's either driving or in a vehicle, or not to disobey an officer's order to stop, by fleeing on foot or by any other means.

Dra. Hariani, M.Pd. Reading

Comprehension 2 (FH) Criminal Law