Exc.1 Translate the following articles of the Constitution into English.

 

1. Российская Федерация — Россия есть демократи­ческое федеративное правовое государство с республи­канской формой правления.

 

2. Государственная власть в Российской Федерации осуществляется на основе разделения на законодатель­ную, исполнительную и судебную. Органы законода­тельной, исполнительной и судебной власти самостоя­тельны.

 

3. Все равны перед законом и судом.

 

4. Государство гарантирует равенство прав и свобод человека и гражданина независимо от пола, расы, на­циональности, языка, происхождения, имущественного и должностного положения, места жительства, отно­шения к религии, убеждений, принадлежности к об­щественным объединениям, а также других обстоя­тельств.

 

5. Запрещаются любые формы ограничения прав граждан по признакам социальной, расовой, националь­ной, языковой или религиозной принадлежности.

 

6. Президент Российской Федерации избирается на четыре года гражданами Российской Федерации на основе всеобщего равного и прямого избирательного права при тайном голосовании.

7. Президентом Российской Федерации может быть избран гражданин Российской Федерации не моложе 35 лет, постоянно проживающий в Российской Феде­рации не менее 10 лет.

8. Одно и то же лицо не может занимать должность Президента Российской Федерации более двух сроков подряд.

 

9. Федеральное собрание состоит из двух палат — Совета Федерации и Государственной Думы.

 

10. В Совет Федерации входят по два представителя от каждого субъекта Российской Федерации.

 

11. Государственная Дума состоит из 450 депутатов.

 

12. Правосудие в Российской Федерации осуществляется только судом.

 

13. Судебная власть осуществляется посредством конституционного, гражданского, административного и уголовного судопроизводства.

 

Exc.2 Write down the transciption and find Russsian equivalents to:

jurisprudence,

electoral districts,

provisions, laissez-faire,

invalidate,

amendments,

freedoms,

voluntary abortion,

procedural,

privacy,

suspect,

segregation,

accused,

liberties,

deprived

 

Exc.3 Find the Russian equivalents for the following clichés and set expressions from the text. Use them in the sentences of your own.

 

- It is important to point out …

- No matter what …

- Contrary to …

- We can assert that …

- It is being recognized that …

- It is far from surprising that …

- Bearing in mind …

 

Exc.4 Translate the following articles of the Constitution into Russian.

 

Article 97

1. Any citizen of the Russian Federation who has reached 21 years of age and who has the right to participate in elections may he elected deputy of the State Duma.

2. One and the same person may not be simultaneously a member of the Federation Council and a deputy of the State Duma. Deputy of the State Duma may not be a deputy of other representative State government bodies and local government bodies.

 

3. Deputies of the State Duma shall work on a professional permanent basis. Deputies of the State Duma may not be employed in State service or engaged in other paid activities, except for teaching and scientific and other creative work.

Article 98

1. Members of the Federation Council and deputies of the State Duma shall enjoy immunity during the whole term of their office. They may not be detained, arrested or searched, except in the event of detention at the scene of a crime. They may not be subjected to personal searches, except in instances where this is provided for by federal law in order to ensure the safety of other people.

2. The issue of the removal of immunity shall be resolved by an appropriate chamber of the Federal Assembly upon submission of the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation.

Article 99

1. The Federal Assembly shall be a permanently functioning body.

2. The State Duma shall convene its first session on the thirtieth day after election. The President of the Russian Federation may convene a session of the State Duma earlier than this date.

Article 119

Judges shall be citizens of the Russian Federation over 25 years of age with a higher education in law who have served in the legal profession for not less than five years. Federal law may establish additional requirements for judges of the courts of the Russian Federation.

Article 120

1. Judges shall be independent and shall be subordinate only to the Constitution and federal law.

2. Should a court establish when considering a case that a legal act of the State or other body conflicts with law, it shall take a decision in accordance with the law.

Article 121

1. Judges shall be irremovable.

2. The powers of a judge may be terminated or suspended only on the grounds and in accordance with the procedure established by federal law.

Article 122

1. Judges shall be inviolable.

2. A judge cannot face criminal liability otherwise than in accordance with the procedure established by federal law.

 

Article 49

2. The accused shall not be obliged to prove his (her) innocence.

3. Unremovable doubts about the guilt of a person shall be interpreted in favour of the accused.

Article 50

1. Nobody may be convicted twice for one and the same crime.

2. In administering justice it shall not be permitted to use evidence received through violating federal law.

3. Any person convicted of a crime shall have the right to appeal against the verdict to a higher court in accordance with the procedure established by federal law, as well as to request pardon or mitigation of the punishment.

Article 51

1. Nobody shall be obliged to testify against himself, his (her) spouse or close relatives, the range of whom shall be determined by federal law.

2. Federal law may establish other cases where the obligation to give evidence may be lifted.

 

PART 6

Administrative law

Administrative law is the legal framework within which public administration is carried out. It derives from the need to create and develop a system of public admin­istration under law, a concept that may be compared with the much older notion of justice under law. Since admin­istration involves the exercise of power by the executive arm of government, administrative law is of constitu­tional and political, as well as juridical, importance.

Administrative law is to a large extent complemented by constitutional law, and the line between them is hard to draw. The organization of a national legislature, the struc­ture of the courts, the characteristics of a cabinet, and the role of the head of state are generally regarded as matters of constitutional law.

Administrative law is the body of law created by administrative agencies in the form of rules, regulations, orders, and decisions to carry out regulatory powers and duties of such agen­cies. There is no universally accepted definition of admin­istrative law, but rationally it may be held to cover the organization, powers, duties, and functions of public authorities of all kinds engaged in administration; their relations with one another and with citizens and nongov­ernmental bodies; legal methods of controlling public administration; and the rights and liabilities of officials.

 

Exc.1 Find Russsian equivalents to:

judicial review of administration, to abolish poverty, to confer honours, to infringe rights, slum clearance, com­pulsory powers, permissive powers, to impose duties, dis­cretionary power, delegated powers, to scrutinize, watch­dog, customary low, to pardon criminals, prerogative pow­ers, to allocate, abuse of power.

Exc.2 Give all the word combinations you can with the noun
«power» and use them in sentences of your own.

Exc. 3. Find the Russian equivalents for the following clichés and set expressions:

 

- So as one can see;

- In other words;

- As previously noted;

- Moreover;

- In addition;

- It must be recognized that …;

- It is clear that …;

- In conclusion I want to say …;

- On the one hand / On the other hand …;

Exc 4.Translate the following into English:

1. Грабители пробрались в квартиру известного коллекционера и похитили несколько картин. Это уже третья за неделю кража со взломом.

2. Полицейские опросили всех жителей дома и набрали целую кипу бесполезных показаний.

3. За участие в заговоре с целью организации мятежа и правительственного переворота трое высокопоставленных чиновников могут быть приговорены к тюремному заключению. Пятеро человек задержано по подозрению в организации уличных беспорядков и подрывной деятельности.

4. На месте преступления полиция не обнаружила ни отпечатков пальцев, ни орудия убийства. В распоряжении прокурора были лишь косвенные улики, которых было недостаточно для доказательства совершения преступления обвиняемыми.

6. По закону о судебном делопроизводстве список предыдущих преступлений, совершенных обвиняемым, оглашается только после того, как члены суда присяжных выносят свое решение о виновности или невиновности подсудимого. Обычно обвиняемые, впервые совершившие правонарушения, получают менее суровое наказание, чем рецидивисты.

7. У адвоката обвиняемого было два надежных свидетеля, готовых под присягой дать важнейшие показания, доказывавшие его невиновность. Однако, когда ключевого свидетеля привели к присяге, он отказался говорить.

8. На следующий день после ареста магистрат вынес Флетчеру обвинение в участии в уличном разбое. Флетчер надеялся, что ему не откажут в выходе из тюрьмы под залог.

9. Принимая во внимание возраст подсудимого, суд вынес решение об его условном наказании на 6-ти месячный срок.

PART 7

Criminal law

Criminal law is only one of the devices by which organized societies protect the security of individual interests and assure the survival of the group. Criminal law is the body of law that defines criminal offenses, regulates the apprehension, charging, and trial of suspected persons, and fixes penalties and modes of treatment applicable to convicted offenders. There are,in addition, the standards of conduct instilled by family, school, and religion; the rules of the office and factory; the regulations of civil life enforced by ordinary police powers; and the sanctions available through tort actions.

The distinction between criminal law and tort law is difficult to draw with real precision, but in general one may say that a tort is a private injury while a crime is conceived as an offense against the public, although the actual victim may be an individual. The traditional approach to criminal law has been that crime is an act that is morally wrong. The purpose of criminal sanctions was to make the offender give retribution for harm done and expiate his moral guilt; punishment was to be meted out in proportion to the guilt of the accused and pragmatic views have predominated.

 

Exc.1 Explain the meaning of the following expressions:

- juvenile delinquency;

- to contradict one`s parents;

- adult offender;

- capital crime;

- under the age of puberty;

- to modify an approach to something;

- staggering upsurge;

Exc.2 Make sure you know the difference between the verbs: steal and rob.

The ob­ject of the 'steal' is the thing which is taken away, e.g. they stole my bike, whereas the object of the verb 'rob' is the person or place from which things are stolen, e.g. I was robbed last night, masked man robbed the bank. 'Steal' is irregular: steal, stole, stolen.

Here are some more useful verbs connected with crime and law. Note that many of them have particular prepositions associated with them:

to commit a crime or an offence: to do something illegal

to accuse someone of a crime: to say someone is guilty

to charge someone with (murder): to bring someone to court

to plead guilty or not guilty: to swear in court that one is guilty or otherwise

to defend/prosecute someone in court: to argue for or against someone in a trial

to pass verdict on an accused person: to decide whether they are guilty or not

to sentence someone to a punishment: what the judge does after a verdict of guilty

to acquit an accused person of a charge: to decide in court that someone is not guilty (the opposite of to convict someone)

to fine someone a sum of money: to punish someone by making them pay

to send someone to prison: to punish someone by putting them in prison

to release someone from prison/jail: to set someone free after a prison sentence

to be tried: to have a case judged in court.

Exc.3 Read the following text and write down Russian equivalents for sentences given in bold type.

 

Prison Inmates

Unconvicted Prisoners

Some of the prison population consists of unconvicted prisoners held in custody and awaiting trial. These prisoners are presumed to be innocent and are treated accordingly. They are allowed all reasonable facilities to seek release on bail, prepare for trial, maintain, contact with relatives and friends, and pursue legitimate business and social interests. They also have the right to wear their own clothes and can write and receive unlimited number of letters.

Young Offenders

In Britain, young offenders are held in reformatories, which are designed for the treatment, training and social rehabilitation of youth. School-age delinquents are kept in residential training schools, and young offenders between the ages of 16 and 25 who have been convicted of a criminal act serve in special facilities. The most famous of these is the Borstal Institution.

Women prisoners

Women are usually held in smaller prisons with special programmes and recreational opportunities offered to reflect stereotyped female roles, with emphasis on housekeeping, sewing and typing skills. Women prisoners do not wear prison uniform and there is a clothing allowance to help pay for clothes while in prison. Some prisons provide mother and baby units, which enable babies to remain with their mothers where that is found to be in the best interests of the child. In addition to the usual visiting arrangement, several prisons allow extended visits to enable women to spend the whole day with their children in an informal atmosphere.

Habitual offenders

Criminals who have frequently been apprehended and convicted, who have manifested a settled practice in crime, and who are presumed to be a danger to the society in which they live are referred to as habitual offenders. Studies of the yearly intake of prisons, reformatories, and jails in the United States and Europe show that from one-half to two-thirds of those imprisoned have served previous sentences in the same or in other institutions. The conclusion is that the criminal population is made up largely of those for whom criminal behaviour has become habitual; moreover, penal institutions appear to do little to change their basic behaviour patterns.

Though the percentage of recidivists runs high for all offenders, it is greatest among those convicted of such minor charges as vagrancy, drunkenness, prostitution, and disturbing the peace. These are more likely than serious criminal charges to result from an entire way of life. Accordingly, their root causes are rarely susceptible to cure by jailing.

Life-sentence prisoners

Since capital punishment has been abolished in Britain, the severest penalty for the most atrocious crimes, such as murder, is life imprisonment. Those serving life sentences for the murder of police and prison officers, terrorist murders, murder by firearms in the cause of robbery and the sexual or sadistic murder of children are normally detained for at least twenty years. Life sentences for offences other than murder can be reduced up to nine years.

On release, all life-sentence prisoners remain on licence for the rest of their lives and are subject to recall should their behaviour suggest that they might again be a danger to the public.

 

Exc.4 Find in the text above the English equivalents for the following words and expressions.

- исправительное заведение для малолетних правонарушителей;

- исправление и перевоспитание заключенных;

- рецидивист;

- бродяжничество;

- нарушение общественного порядка;

- сотрудник исправительного учреждения;

- отбывать наказание (в тюрьме).

 

Exc.5 Answer the following questions.

1. What is the status of “unconvicted prisoners”? What are their privileges?

2. What are the purposes of reformatories?

3. What is the most famous facility for young offenders?

4. What special programmes are established for women prisoners?

5. What additional rights do women prisoners have?

6. What are habitual offenders?

7. What are the most typical crimes committed by recidivists?

8. What is the severest penalty for the most atrocious crimes?

9. What kinds of “lifers” are sentenced to the longest term of imprisonment?

10. How is life sentence typically reduced in Britain?

11.How are “lifers” supervised when released?

Text 2

Police bulletin

Crime: Armed Robbery

Location: South & South Park Streets

Date: November 13, 1999

The police are searching for a person or persons responsible for an armed robbery on the southwest corner of the South St. and South Park St. intersection.

This crime occurred at 9:30 a.m. on November 13, 1999.

At about 9:30 a.m. the victim, a young visitor to the city, was walking south along South Park St. At the southwest corner of South Park St. and South St., the suspect jumped in front of the victim, pulled a knife from his jacket and said, “Give me your purse or you`re stuck!” The victim handed it over and the suspect fled the scene of the crime.

The suspect is described as a white male, 20 – 25 years old, medium build, 5`2``, moustache, blue eyes, short brown hair, pointed nose. He was wearing a red baseball cap with a Montreal Canadians logo, a dark blue jacket, black jeans and white sneakers.

Police warn that this man could be armed and therefore dangerous. If you can identify the man in the photofit picture, or have any information on this or any crime, contact the local Police Department or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-555-8477, and you may be eligible for a cash reward.

Exc.1 Find the English equivalents for the following words and expressions in the text above:

 

подозреваемый; жертва; вооруженное ограбление; фоторобот; денежное вознаграждение; опознать преступника; скрыться с места преступления; вооружен и следовательно опасен, сообщить в местный полицейский участок.

 

Exc.2 Find the description of the criminal and compose an opposite one using the expressions below:

e.g. “The suspect is described as black, very tall …”

FACE – long, round, oval, thin, plump, fleshy, puffy, wrinkled, pasty, pimpled, pock-marked, clean-shaven

FEATURES – clean-cut, delicate, forceful, regular / irregular, large, small, stern

COMPLEXION – fair, pale, dark, sallow

HAIR – curly, wavy, straight, receding (scanty), rumpled, shoulder-length, medium-length, short-cut, crew-cut, bobbed, dyed, bald, fair / dark-haired

FORHEAD – high, low, narrow, square, broad

EYES – hollowed, bulging, close-set, deep-set, sunken, wide-apart, cross-eyed

EYEBROWS – thin, thick, bushy, arched, penciled, shaggy

EARS – small, big, jug-eared

NOSE – prominent, straight, pointed, hooked, flat, aquiline, snub-nosed

LIPS – full, thin, painted, cleft lip

TEETH – even / uneven, sparse, artificial

CHEEKS – plump, hollow, ruddy, stubby

CHIN – square, pointed, double, massive, protruding

BEARD – full, bushy, spade beard, grey-bearded, heavy-bearded

MOUSTACHE – thin, thick, tooth brush, walrus

HEIGHT – tall, short, of medium height

BUILT – average, medium built, well-built, plump, skinny

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES – birth marks, freckles, scars, wooden leg, humpback, pot-belly.

 

Exc.3 Translate the following police bulletin into English and make the corresponding photofit:

 

Их разыскивает милиция

Разыскиваются преступники, совершившие убийство 21 сентября в доме номер 99 по проспекту Мира.

Первый: на вид 30 лет, рост 170-175 см, худощавого телосложения, волосы черные прямые, лицо круглое, нос прямой, глаза слегка навыкате. Был одет: темная короткая кожаная куртка, светлые брюки, коричневые ботинки. Носит темные очки в металлической оправе.

Второй: на вид 40 лет, рост 175 – 180 см, плотного телосложения, волосы светлые, вьющиеся до плеч, лицо овальное, нос курносый, брови густые. Был одет: темная удлиненная кожаная куртка, темные брюки.

Любую имеющуюся информацию просьба сообщить по телефону 222-32-22, или 02.

 

 

Exc.4 Read and memorize the active vocabulary:

 

1. arson	поджог
2. assassination	убийство (заказное), тер. акт
3. assault	нападение, оскорбление
4. bigamy	двоеженство, двоемужие
5. burglary	кража со взломом
6. desertion	дезертирство
7. drug smuggling	контрабанда наркотиков
8. espionage	шпионаж
9. forgery	подделывание (документов)
10. fraud	мошенничество
11. hijacking	воздушное пиратство
12. homicide	убийство
13. hooliganism	хулиганство
14. kidnapping	похищение
15. murder	убийство
16. mugging	хулиганство, груп. нападение
17. offence	преступление, проступок
18. pickpocketing	карманная кража
19. rape	изнасилование
20. robbery	ограбление
21. shop-lifting	мелкая кража в магазине
22. stowage	безбилетный проезд («зайцем»)
23. terrorism	терроризм
24. theft	кража
25. treason	государственная измена
26. vandalism	вандализм, варварство

 

 

Exc.5 Read and memorize the active vocabulary:

 

Crime	Criminal	Criminal Act
1. arson	an arsonist	to set fire
2. assassination	an assassin	to assassinate
3. assault	an assaulter	to assault
4. bigamy	a bigamist	to marry twice (illegally)
5. burglary	a burglar	to burglarize
6. desertion	a deserter	to desert
7. drug smuggling	a drug smuggler	to smuggle drugs
8. espionage	a spy	to spy
9. forgery	a forger	to forge
10. fraud	a fraud	to swindle
11. hijacking	a hijacker	to capture
12. homicide	a homicide	to kill
13. hooliganism	a hooligan	to disturb, to damage
14. kidnapping	a kidnapper	to kidnap
15. murder	a murderer	to murder
16. mugging	a mugger	to mug
17. offence	an offender	to offend
18. pickpocketing	a pickpocket	to steal from people’s pockets
19. rape	a violator	to rape
20. robbery	a robber	to rob
21. shop-lifting	a shop-lifter	to steal from shops
22. stowage	a stowaway	to stow
23. terrorism	a terrorist	to terrorize, to murder
24. theft	a thief	to steal
25. treason	a traitor	to betray
26. vandalism	a vandal	to vandalize

Text 3

HAVE YOU SEEN THIS MAN?

Police issued an Identikit photograph (фоторобот) of a man they wish to interview in connection with the theft (кража) of the diamond (бриллиант) from a valuable collection which was shown at the Grand Hotel in Manchester, last Saturday evening.

This diamond was the center of attention at the exhibitition. One of the officials (официальные лица) said: "We can't believe that the diamond has been stolen. We have a very sophisticated (сложный) security system. Since the diamond is so well known it will be difficult for the thief to sell it."

It happened when the London dealer Mr Gruyt was giving a speech and everybody was listening. Then the guests heard a gun shot and saw a tall, greyhaired man run from the room.

Guests described him as a tall man, about 50 years old, with blue eyes, a small beard and moustache. The name he gave at the reception (прием) was Captain Rogers. The police thinks that it was not his real name. They also think that his appearance may be a disguize (камуфляж). One woman who spoke to him said: "He was a charming man, intelligent and very well informed about diamonds. I thought he was an expert. He was a bit shy and nervous because he was pursing (покусывать) his lips and he smoke a lot."

The police also know that the man spoke in an educated language and showed an interest in chess. The police also have given the warning (пре­дупреждение): "We would advise anyone who thinks he or she can identify this man not to come up to him but to contact the police. He is dangerous."

PART 7

Text 1

International law

International law is the body of legal rules that apply between sovereign states and such other entities as have been granted international personality. Like precepts of international morality, the rules of international law are of a normative character; that is, they prescribe standards of conduct. They distinguish themselves, however, from moral rules by being, at least potentially, designed for authoritative interpretation by an independent judicial authority and by being capable of enforcement by the application of external sanctions.

International law should be distinguished from quasi-international law, which is the law governing relations similar to those covered by international law but outside the pale of international law because at least one of the parties lacks international personality. International law means public international law as distinct from private international law or the conflict of laws, which deals with the differences between the municipal laws of different countries.

While international law applies only between entities that can claim international personality, municipal law is the internal law of states that regulates the conduct of idividuals and other legal entities within their jurisdiction. International law forms a contrast to municipal law. Historically, although several systems of international law have existed since antiquity, contemporary international law has its origins in Medieval Europe. Arguably, the most notable historic development was the signing of the Peace of Westphalia 1648 which established an embryonic sovereign state system in Europe. Prior to this agreement, the creation of a sovereign state system had been retarded by the transnational authority of the Pope in spiritual matters and the control of the Holy Roman Emperor in political concerns. In the signature of the Peace of Westphalia the Emperor acknowledged restrictions on his dominion in favour of the territorial autonomy of the various nation states which had previously composed the Empire, whilst simultaneously the treaty recognised the limits of the authority of the Pope.

International society since then has remained a pluralistic structure of sovereign states. Sovereignty in the relations between states is synonymous with independence. This independence allows states to regulate the internal constitutions of their territories and to enter into international relations with other sovereign states.