2018-01-21
349
Prisoners magistrate imprisonment jury Crown
In England there are no minimum.... except for..., which carries a penalty of life.... There are maximum sentences for other.... Crimes are first heard by a... who can either pass sentence, or refer the crime to a... Court with a... and.... Here are maximum sentences for some crimes. Sentences can be reduced for good..., often by one-third or more. "Life sentences" are rarely more than 14 years and it would be possible to release... after 7 years.
| Crime | Magistrates' Court | Crown Court | |||
| Fine | Prison | Fine | Prison | ||
| 1. | Burglary | £1000 | 6 months | Unlimited | 14 years |
| 2. | Grievous bodily harm | £1000 | 6 months | Unlimited | 5 years |
| 3. | Possession of firearm | £1000 | 6 months | Unlimited | 5 years |
| 4. | Possession of cannabis | £500 | 3 months | Unlimited | 5 years |
| 5. | Common assault | £200 | 2 months | - | - |
| 6. | "Going equipped for stealing" | £1000 | 6 months | Unlimited | 3 years |
| 7. | Murder | life imprisonment |
XI. Match the sentences with the crimes.
| 1. murder of a policeman; | a) 100 hours of community service |
| 2. drinking and driving | b) 6 months in prison or a £5.000 |
| 3. without causing a death; | c) fine and disqualification from driving; |
| 4. robbing a bank with a gun; | d) five to ten years in prison; |
| 5. stealing goods from a shop | e) a £300 fine; shop-lifting; |
| 6. driving without insurance; | f) a £3000 fine; |
| 7. vandalising a telephone-box | g) life imprisonment. |
XII. Work in pairs and find arguments for and against the death penalty. Discuss the following questions.
- mild sentences are a sign of a civilized society;
- capital punishment is not a deterrent to murder;
- the punishment must fit the crime.
