法律英语导读

2024年3月24日发(作者：大学英语周记)

为了提高大家阅读英文法律文献的水平，增加大家的美国法律知识，开设此栏目。本人水平有限，恐怕很多地方存在错讹，提

请大家注意并提出批评和修改意见。

由于本人正在学习法律英语，所以本材料内容取材于我自己阅读的NOLO出版社出版2000年1月出版的书籍《The

Criminal Law Handbook Know Your Rights, Survive the System》第3版，作者Paul Bergman 和Sara J.

Berman-Barrett，本书的最新版是2003年2月的第5版。但其编排方式多有不便，而且基本内容变化不大，所以我还是选

用了第3版。本人没有侵犯作者版权的意思，只是合理使用，请大家在使用本材料时注意。

Section I: How Can This Book Help You?

Just about everyone is touched in some way by our criminal justice system. You, a relative or a friend may

be arrested and charged with a crime. Or perhaps you've been the victim of one. Maybe you're a teacher,

social worker or counlor who needs clear answers to pressing questions so you can help others understand

how the criminal justice system works. This book is for all of you, and for anyone el who wants to understand

a little more about such gripping modern-day dramas as the O.J. Simpson, Menendez brothers and Timothy

McVeigh trials.

The book us an easy-to-understand question-and-answer format to explain the criminal justice system,

inside and outside the courtroom. When can a police officer make an arrest? Is it a good idea to talk to the

police? Who decides whether to charge someone with a crime, and what crime to charge? Is

lf-reprentation ever a good idea in criminal cas? Should defendants conceal their guilt from their

attorneys? What factors might convince a judge to relea a jailed person on low bail—or waive bail altogether?

The are among the hundreds of practical questions the book address.

1. Who Can Benefit From This Book?

Many people can benefit from the information in this book:

If you are accud of a crime. If you are facing criminal charges, you should become very familiar with the

information in this book, even if you have a lawyer. Your ca belongs to you, not to your lawyer, and you will

want to be savvy enough about what's going on to intelligently participate in important decisions that are likely

to affect its outcome. The more you know, the more likely it is that you will receive high quality legal rvices,

becau you will be in a position to insist that they be provided to you.

Defendants' family members and friends. If someone clo to you faces criminal charges, you'll want to

know what is happening and how you can be of help. Does it matter whether you are there in the courtroom

when your friend or relative is arraigned? What factors should you consider if you are asked to post bail or sign

a bail application for someone el? How should you respond if asked for your opinion by your friend or relative

on whether he or she should plead guilty or ask for a jury trial? What types of support or counling can you

properly offer a friend or relative throughout his or her criminal ca? Knowing the answers to the and many

other questions will make you a better helper.

Crime victims. Until recent years, crime victims were largely shut out of the criminal justice process. Now

victims often play more active roles, for example, by addressing the judge at the time a defendant is ntenced.

Thus, if you are a victim, you too will want to understand how the process works and where in the process you

can expect to have an impact on how the ca is procuted.

Concerned citizens. Have you ever watched a trial on TV and wanted to know what all the mumbo-jumbo

is about? Complained about the costs associated with crime? Been called for jury duty? Whatever prompts your

interest, the criminal justice system belongs to you. You have a right to know how it works. The information in

this book tells you what you never learned in high school civics.

本节常用法律术语：

1、 criminal justice system 刑事司法系统

2、 arrest vt. n逮捕

3、 charge with 控告

4、 crime n.犯罪, 犯罪行为

5、 victim n.受害人, 受害者