IELTS Vocabulary — Crime and Punishment (Band 7+)

Crime and punishment is in the top 10 recurring themes for Writing Task 2 and Speaking Part 3. Twelve topic words used precisely will lift your Lexical Resource band — but only if you also know which grammar to pair them with.

12 Essential Words

Deterrent (something that discourages). Rehabilitation (helping offenders re-integrate). Recidivism (re-offending). Petty crime (minor offences). White-collar crime (non-violent financial crime). To commit an offence. Custodial sentence (prison sentence). Community service. Miscarriage of justice. To crack down on. Law-abiding (obeying the law). Deter offenders (collocation).

Model Task 2 Paragraph

"Many governments rely on long custodial sentences to deter offenders, but the evidence on their effectiveness is mixed. Research from Scandinavian countries suggests that prioritising rehabilitation over punishment significantly reduces recidivism, particularly for first-time offenders convicted of petty crimes."

Common Task 2 Prompts

"Long prison sentences are the best way to reduce crime — to what extent do you agree?" "Some people believe rehabilitation is more effective than punishment — discuss both views." "Is white-collar crime as serious as violent crime?"

Grammar That Pairs Well

Passive voice ("offenders are sentenced", "a fine is imposed"), conditional structures ("if rehabilitation were prioritised, recidivism would fall"), and modal verbs of obligation ("should be punished", "must be reformed"). All three are explicit Band 7+ Grammatical Range markers.

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