Тhe Prosecutor

 

2. Read and translate the text.

 

Text 1

 

1. The state has many ways of making sure that citizens obey the law. It makes 
   the public aware of what the law is and tries to encourage social support for law and 
   order. It uses militia to investigate crimes and catch criminals. It authorizes courts to 
   complete the investigation of criminal and civil offences and to pass sentences to 
   punish the guilty and deter others. And it makes efforts to re-educate and reform 
   people who have broken the law.
2. Ignorance of the law is almost never a defence for breaking it. Governments 
   usually expect citizens to be aware of the laws which affect their lives. Sometimes 
   this seems very harsh, for example, when the law is very technical. However, there 
   are many laws, such as those prohibiting theft, assault and dangerous driving, which 
   simply reflect social and moral attitudes to everyday behavior. In such cases a person 
   knows he is breaking the law, even if he doesn't know exactly which law it is.

 

3. So, the state combats crime through the courts, the Prosecutor's Office, 
   investigating authorities, state security bodies; militia and other law-enforcement 
   agencies. They have to perform a series of acts to establish the fact of the crime, 
   discover the offender and determine the penalty to be imposed in vertue of law.
4. After   receiving   information   that   a   crime   has   been   committed,   the 
   investigator, for instance, commences the preliminary investigation: he inspects the 
   scene of the crime, summons and questions witnesses, detains suspects, etc. During 
   the investigation of a criminal case, he has the right to demand that citizens should 
   take part in examinations and searches, and testify on the facts known to them; and 
   that persons in office make available certificates, documents etc. The militia, the 
   investigator, the prosecutor and the court may make such demands only within the 
   power vested in them by law.
5. The main objectives of the militia have always been to protect, state and 
   personal property, to maintain public law and order, to safeguard the rights and 
   interests of citizens. To fulfil these functions properly the Internal Affairs bodies 
   compose several departments. The Criminal Detection Department is to detect the 
   criminal,   that   is   to   locate   and   arrest   him   (her).   The   Criminal  Investigation 
   Department collects evidence to prove the guilt or innocence of a suspect.  The 
   Economic Crimes Department reveals the economic offences. The mission of the 
   State Inspection of Road Traffic Security is to regulate safety in the roads. The 
   Juvenile Inspection is responsible for prevention of juvenile delinquency.

 

3. Answer the following questions.

1) Through what bodies does the state combat crime?

2) What acts must these bodies perform?

3) What does the investigator do after receiving information that a crime has been committed?

4) What rights do the investigating bodies have during the investigation of a criminal case?

5) What functions does the militia have to perform in the law-enforcement process?

6) Is ignorance of the law a defence for breaking it? Give reasons for it?

7) What are the ways of making sure that citizens obey the law?

 

4.  Finish the sentences using the words in brackets.

1) The Supreme Court examines more serious _______ (crimes, article, case, clause, murder).

2) After receiving the information that a crime has been committed, the investigator commences the preliminary ________.

(questioning, seizure, investigation, punishment, sentence).

3) The militia safeguards _______.

(a criminal, an offender, the interests of citizens, an assessor).

4) the challenge of the militia has always been to protect __________, to maintain ______.

(state and personal property, criminals, offenders, public law and order).

 

5. Read and translate the newspaper clipping. Pay attention to the underlined words.

By Simon Saradzyan

Moscow Tribune.

The Interior Minister hopes to put an end to the eternal rivalry of Russian law-enforcement agencies, but these forces are somewhat sceptical to his good will.

"It is expedient to vest coordination of the operational activities of law -enforcement agencies in the sphere of fighting organized crime to me by a presidential decree", the Interior Minister wrote in a classified letter to the Russian President.

The letter, leaked to the Russian Press earlier this week, is accompanied by a draft presidential decree. If signed by the President, it would put mafia -fighters from as many as seven agencies under the Interior Minister's thumb.

These agencies are: The Federal Security Service (FSB), the State Customs Committee (GTK), the Federal Border Guard Service (FPS), the Federal Guard service (FSO), the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), the Federal Drug Control Service (FSNK) and the Interior Ministry (MVD).

 

 

Essential words and phrases:

 

 

to combat crime - бороться с преступностью to commence - начинать to commit - совершить преступление criminal proceedings criminal procedure to detain a  suspect to discover etc. to impose to maintain law and order to make available the militia an offender in vertue of law to perform acts a person in office preliminary investigation the Prosecutor’s Office to receive search state security bodies to summon to testify trial to vest power in somebody a witness

-  бороться с преступностью -  начинать -  совершить преступление -  судопроизводство   -  задержать подозреваемого -  находить -  и т.д. -  налагать наказание -  поддерживать правопорядок -  предоставлять в  распоряжение -  милиция -  правонарушитель -  в силу закона -  проводить действия -  должностное лицо -  предварительное  следствие -  прокуратура -  получать -  обыск, осмотр  места преступления -  органы госбезопасности -  вызывать -  давать показания -  судебный процесс -  облекать полномочиями  кого-либо -  свидетель