The criminal justice system covers a broad range of areas, from policing to parole. Its terminology can be intimidating and confusing, but a good understanding of the terms can help journalists to report crime and the courts with accuracy.
A crime is an act or omission that violates the law and which is punishable. A criminal case involves the government attempting to punish someone for violating its laws and is generally brought by a prosecutor (also called an attorney general or district attorney).
In a criminal case, the burden of proof is that of the prosecution. This means the prosecutor must convince a jury beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is guilty of the offence. The defence, on the other hand, only needs to raise doubts about the prosecution’s evidence.
The police, criminals and the courts use many specialist terms, some technical in nature and others short forms or slang. As a rule, these should be used sparingly, although they can add colour and interest to a story, especially if the terms are explained in context by the journalist. Accuracy must be applied to the language you use in all your reporting, whether news or features. For example, you should avoid using ‘alleged’ or’may’. Those words can leave the reader with a sense of uncertainty that undermines trust in your reporting. It is better to be more precise, and also to use words such as ‘deliberated’ or ‘intentionally’, if the context makes it clear they are being used in a legal sense.
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