Application of Law Enforcement

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.

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 behaviour. In such cases a person knows he is breaking the law, even if he doesn’t know exactly which law it is.

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 virtue of law.

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. The militia, the investigator, the prosecutor and the court may make such demands only within the power vested in them by law.

The challenge of the militia has 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.

Vocabulary

challenge n стремление

combat crime v бороться с преступностью

commence v начинать

commit a crime v совершить преступление

Criminal Investigation Department n уголовный розыск

detain a suspect v задержать подозреваемого

dete r v сдерживать; удерживать от совершения чего-либо

discover v находить

impose a penalty v налагать наказание

investigator n следователь

in virtue of law в силу закона

maintain law and order поддерживать правопорядок

militia [mı' lı∫ə] n милиция

obey the law v следовать закону, подчиняться закону

offence n правонарушение, преступление

offender n правонарушитель

perform acts v проводить действия

pose v создавать (проблему); представлять

preliminary n предварительное следствие

the Prosecutor’s Office n прокуратура

prohibit v запрещать

summon v вызывать

state security bodies органы госбезопасности

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14