英文要好到一定程度，就要什麼都能談，而且能夠談得有深度、有意思，用字用句當然就要精準。

很多人怕用英文談政治、法律和社會事件等不熟悉的主題，害怕錯漏百出。今天以時事和法律為例，只要掌握全文關鍵，就能融會貫通，知道如何進入一個陌生的英文領域。

我們就從商業犯罪談起吧，下列句子新聞常看到，但英文怎麼說？

「某家公司遭人縱火損失慘重。」
「某家公司被控侵犯專利／著作權」
「某個企業家被收押」

這類話題不只出現在英文新聞裡，也可能成為你和跟國外客戶閒聊時，拉近雙方的距離，並且增長見聞的工具。

（一）一般較常見的罪犯種類：

1、an arsonist（縱火犯）
2、a murderer（殺人犯）
3、kidnapper（綁架犯）
4、burglar（竊盜犯）
5、con artist（詐騙集團）
6、robber（搶劫犯）
7、embezzler（挪用公款者）
8、hijacker（劫機者）
9、Rapist（強暴犯）
10、Molester（性虐兒童者

（二）他們如何犯罪？

一般的犯法，我們常用的句型：be against / break / offend/ violate + law
He did not know he was breaking the law.

犯罪時，我們常用：commit + 罪名
The man finally admitted that he committed a rape and a murder.

被定罪時用 convict + of
He was convicted of fraud.（他被判詐欺。）

（三）誰是偵辦人員？任務為何？

1、prosecutor（檢察官）/ District Attorney（美簡稱DA）+

  • indict（起訴，注意發音）the suspect
  • bring a charge against the suspect

2、investigator（調查人員）＋

  • conduct / carry out an investigation (investigate the case)
  • collect / gather evidence
  • question（約談）the suspect
  • interrogate（偵調／逼供）the suspect
  • to establish / find / suggest possible motive（研判可能動機）
  • seal off the crime scene（封鎖現場）

3、coroner 法醫 ＋

  • practice an autopsy（驗屍）in the morgue（停屍間）

（四）嫌犯會有的待遇？

  • was taken into custody（被收押）
  • was detained（被拘留）
  • apply for a bail（申請交保）
  • bail approved（交保獲准）
  • bail denied（交保駁回）
  • bailed out（保釋）
  • on bail（交保候傳中）
  • jump bail（棄保潛逃）

（五）在法庭中……

  • go to court / appear in court（出庭）
  • plead guilty / plead not guilty（認罪／不認罪）
  • He confessed to the murder. / He confessed that he killed a woman.
  • argue the case（雙方對質／辯護）
  • cross examine the witness（交叉質詢證人）
  • call the witness（傳喚證人）
  • the witness / testify for / against the defendant（証人提出對被告有利或不利的舉證）
  • He was found guilty of perjury.（偽證）
  • He agreed to be a grass in the organized crime.（污點證人）
  • He will grass on his organized crime.（舉發不法集團）= He will incriminate his organized crime.
  • The jury will find the suspect/defendant guilty or not.（陪審團將做出是否有罪的決定）
  • The jury has finally reached a verdict.（達成判決)
  • He was found guilty.（他被判有罪）
  • He was found not guilty.= He was acquitted.= He had an acquittal.= He can walk free from the court.（他被判無罪）
  • He will appeal against his convictions.（他將上訴）

（六）宣判罪名時刻

The judge will pass the sentence.（宣判刑責）
sentence (n, v) 判刑, 徒刑

  • He was sentenced to five years in prison.= He received a five-year imprisonment.（他被判五年刑期。）
  • He was sentenced to life.= He received a life sentence.（他被判無期徒刑。）
  • He was sentenced to life without parole.（無期徒刑並且不得假釋）
  • He was paroled after serving 10 year in prison. = He was released on parole after serving 10 years in prison.（服刑10年後獲假釋）
  • He was sentenced to death.（被判死刑）
  • He was condemned to death.（死刑定讞）
  • He is on death row.（等候處決）
  • She was granted clemency after killing her violent husband.（特赦、減刑）

什麼罪…最高處以….最低處以…

Armed robberies carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Rape in Taiwan carries a minimum sentence of two years in prison.

通緝中 & 逍遙法外
He is wanted by police.
He is so angry that he has become the most wanted criminal.
He is still at large.（逍遙法外）
Police launch a manhunt for a convicted inmate escaping from a prison break.（警方圍捕一名越獄的囚犯。）