Английский язык (стр. 2 )

- подписывать договор;

- Верховный суд;

- всеобщее голосование.

Answer the questions

1. What type of state is Russia?

2. Who is the head of the state in Russia?

3. What are the three branches of state power in Russia?

4. Who is the head of the government?

5. What are the two chambers of the Federal Assembly?

6. Can one and the same person serve as the President of the Russian Federation more than two times?

Text 4.1.

Words and expressions

to obey –слушаться, повиноваться

to investigate - расследовать

to punish - наказывать

the guilty - виновный

defence – (зд.) оправдание

to maintain – поддерживать, защищать

to try – стараться, пытаться

to try a case – рассматривать дело

trial – суд, судебное разбирательство

prosecutor - прокурор

plaintiff - истец

judge - судья

defendant - ответчик

ENFORCING THE LAW

The state has many ways to make citizens obey the law. It explains to the public what the law is. It uses police or militia to investigate crimes and catch criminals. It uses courts to punish the guilty. And it tries to re-educate and reform people who have broken the law.

Many people do not know all the laws. But ignorance of the law is almost never a defence for breaking it.

The police (militia) play an important role in enforcing the law. They protect state and personal property. They maintain public law and order. They safeguard the rights and interests of citizens. The police have wide powers to arrest, search and question people. They control the public actions during demonstrations.

In all countries there are various types of courts to enforce the law. As a rule, in courts cases are tried in public. The participants in the trial (the prosecutor, the lawyers, the plaintiff, the judge, the defendant and the others) speak in the open court. The press has the right to be present. The judges are independent and must obey the law.

Find in the text the English equivalents for the words and expressions below

- расследовать преступления;

- ловить преступников;

- нарушать закон;

- незнание законов;

- защищать права и интересы граждан;

- широкие полномочия;

- обыскивать людей;

- участники судебного процесса.

Answer the questions

1. What can the state do to make people obey the law?

2. Is ignorance of the law a defence for breaking it?

3. What are the functions of the police (militia) in law-enforcement process?

4. What are the participants in the trial?

5. Has the press the right to be present in the trial?

Text 5.1.

Words and expressions

to administer justice – отправлять правосудие

on behalf of – от имени кого-то

judicial body – судебный орган

district court – районный суд

major – более важный

to settle –решить, урегулировать

supervision - надзор

judgement – решение суда, приговор

to ensure – обеспечивать, гарантировать

COURTS IN RUSSIA

The court is a state body that administers justice on behalf of the state. There are courts of first instance and second instance. A court in which a case is first heard is called the court of first instance. A court of second instance is one which examines appeals and protests.

The basic judicial body in Russia is the district court. District courts try both criminal and civil cases. They also protect the electorial rights of citizens. The higher courts hear cases of major importance.

The Supreme Arbitration Court is the highest judicial body for settling economic disputes.

The Supreme Court is the highest judicial body for civil, criminal, business and other cases. It has the power of supervision over the activities of all the judicial bodies of the state. It tries the most important criminal and civil cases. It hears appeals against the judgements of other courts.

The Constitutional Court ensures that the laws and other normative acts are constitutional.

Find in the text the English equivalents for the words and expressions below

- от имени государства;

- суд первой инстанции;

- изучать апелляции;

- рассматривать как уголовные, так и гражданские дела;

- защищать избирательные права граждан;

- высший судебный орган;

- урегулировать экономические споры/вопросы;

- заслушивать апелляции.

Answer the questions

1. What is the function of the court of first instance?

2. What is the basic judicial body of the state?

3. What cases does a district court try?

4. What are the functions of the Supreme Court?

5. What does the Constitutional Court ensure?

6. What is the highest judicial body for settling economic disputes?

Text 6.1.

Words and expressions

trait – характерная черта

asset – ценное качество

concisely – сжато, кратко

to be represented – быть представленным

legal aid office – юридическая консультация

to draft – составить, набросать (документ)

customs law – таможенное право

insurance law – закон о страховании

LEGAL PROFESSIONALS IN MODERN RUSSIA

A good memory, intelligence, honesty and the ability to work hard are some of the essential traits one needs to be a good lawyer. But, perhaps a lawyer’s most important asset is the ability to express ideas clearly and concisely. The profession of a lawyer is interesting and socially important, as it gives plenty of opportunities to help people in trouble.

In Russia, legal professionals are divided into two main groups – advocates and lawyers. Advocates need special qualifications and a license to practice. They usually work within colleges of advocates. There are about nineteen thousand advocates in more than one hundred colleges. In its territory any college is represented by law firms or legal aid offices. Advocates counsel people and draft legal documents. They can deal with criminal law and they also often deal with court proceedings.

Lawyers usually work at the law offices of enterprises, ministries and agencies. They deal with corporate law which often involve specializations such as civil law, customs law and insurance law. There are about twenty thousand lawyers in Russia and this body is growing.

Of course, many legal professionals teach or do academic research work. In Russia there are forty institutions of higher education in law. The three principal and most respected institutions are Moscow State University, the department of international law at the Institute of International Relations, and the Academy of Law.

Find in the text the English equivalents for the words and expressions below

- важные черты;

- выражать мысли чётко и кратко;

- предоставлять много возможностей;

- коллегия адвокатов;

- давать советы людям;

- составлять юридические документы;

- судебные разбирательства;

- проводить теоретические исследования.

Answer the questions

1. What are the most essential traits of a good lawyer?

2. Why is the profession of a lawyer socially important?

3. What are the two main types of legal professionals in Russia?

4. What are the functions of advocates?

5. What does corporate law involve?

6. How many institutions of higher education in law are there in Russia?

7. What are the most respected of them?

Text 7.1.

Words and expressions

crime - преступление

to direct - направлять

to consider – считать, полагать

to commit crimes – совершать преступления

restriction - ограничение

penalty - наказание

deprivation - лишение

imprisonment – тюремное заключение

exile – ссылка, изгнание

fine - штраф

public censure – общественное порицание

capital punishment – смертная казнь

exceptional - исключительный

to prohibit - запрещать

to prevent - предотвращать

to reduce – сокращать

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT

Crime is a part of public law – the law regulating the relations between citizens and the state. A crime is a socially dangerous act directed against the social and state system, the system of economy, property and other rights of citizens. Generally speaking, a crime is an act which the state considers to be wrong and which can be punished by the state. There are some acts which are crimes in one country but not in another. For example, it is a crime to drink alcohol in Saudi Arabia, but not in Egypt. It is a crime to smoke marijuana in England, but not in the Netherlands. It is a crime to have more than one wife at the same time in France, but not in Indonesia.

The main types of crime are:

1. crimes against person

2. crimes against property

3. sexual offences

4. political offences

5. offences against justice

6. public order offences

7. road traffic offences

Criminal punishment of persons who have committed crimes is one of the forms of state fight against crime. Any criminal punishment is always a restriction of personal rights. The more serious an offence is, the stricter a penalty should be. There are the following basic penalties: deprivation of liberty (imprisonment), exile, fines or public censure. Capital punishment is usually used only as an exceptional measure. There are a lot of countries where death penalty is prohibited. In modern society the principle ”an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” is considered to be cruel and unreasonable. The aim of the criminal justice is not only to punish the guilty but also to prevent and reduce crime.

Find in the text the English equivalents for the words and expressions below

- социально опасное действие;

- наказываться государством;

- преступления против собственности;

- преступления против общественного порядка;

- уголовное наказание;

- строгое наказание;

- лишение свободы;

- наказывать виновных;

- предотвращать преступления.

Answer the questions

1. What is crime?

2. What are the main types of crime?

3. What is punishment?

4. What types of penalties do you know?

5. What do you think of capital punishment?

6. What are the main aims of the criminal justice?

Text 8.1.

Words and expressions

to adopt - принять

to elect - избирать

criminal records – досье преступников

to forbid - запрещать

involvement - вмешательство

weapon smuggling – контрабанда оружия

money laundering – отмывание денег

INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL POLICE ORGANIZATION OR INTERPOL

Interpol was founded in Austria in 1923 as the International Criminal Police Commission. It was created to assist international criminal police co-operation. The organization’s new name was adopted in 1956.

Today Interpol is the world’s second largest international organization, after the United Nations. It has 184 member countries. The Organization is headquartered in Lyon, France. The general assembly meets annually to decide policy and to elect the executive committee, consisting of a president, three vice-presidents, and nine delegates, all of different nationalities. The general secretariat coordinates the international activities of member countries, holds a library of international criminal records, and organizes regular meetings at which delegates can exchange information on police work.

Interpol is not political organization, so its Constitution forbids any involvement in any political, military, religious, or racial crimes. It deals with public safety and terrorism, organized crime, drug production and drug trafficking, weapon smuggling, trafficking in human beings, money laundering, child pornography, financial and high-tech crime, and corruption.

Interpol is financed by contributions from its member countries. Its budget is about EUR 30 million.

Find in the text the English equivalents for the words and expressions below