IGCSE WJEC Law: Vocabulary & Terminology Quick Memory Guide | IGCSE WJEC 法律：词汇术语速记指南

📚 IGCSE WJEC Law: Vocabulary & Terminology Quick Memory Guide | IGCSE WJEC 法律：词汇术语速记指南

This guide breaks down the most important legal vocabulary for the IGCSE WJEC Law course into clear English explanations and Chinese translations. It is designed to help you revise faster by associating each term with a simple memory hook.

本指南将 IGCSE WJEC 法律课程中最关键的法律词汇分解为清晰的英文解释和中文翻译，旨在通过将每个术语与简单的记忆钩子联系起来，帮助你更快地复习。

Mastering legal terminology is not just about memorising definitions; it is about using the right word in the right context. The terms below appear frequently in WJEC assessments, especially in scenario-based questions.

掌握法律术语不仅仅是记住定义，更重要的是在正确的语境中使用正确的词语。以下术语经常出现在 WJEC 的评估中，尤其是在情景分析题中。

1. Core Criminal Law Terms | 刑法核心术语

A crime is an act or omission that breaks the law and is punishable by the state. In English law, most crimes require two elements: the physical act and the mental state.

犯罪是指违反法律并受到国家惩罚的作为或不作为。在英国法律中，大多数犯罪需要两个要素：身体行为和主观心理状态。

The prosecution is the side that brings the case against the defendant in a criminal court. In England and Wales, the Crown Prosecution Service usually conducts this role.

控方是在刑事法庭上对被告提起诉讼的一方。在英格兰和威尔士，皇家检察署通常承担这一角色。

• Crime – an illegal act punishable by law | 犯罪 – 受法律惩罚的非法行为
• Defendant – the person accused of a crime | 被告 – 被指控犯罪的人
• Prosecution – the legal team representing the state | 控方 – 代表国家的法律团队
• Omission – failure to act when there is a legal duty to do so | 不作为 – 在有法律义务采取行动时未能行动

Remember that a criminal case is always brought by the state, not by the victim. The victim may be a witness, but the case name is usually R v Defendant, where R stands for Rex or Regina.

请记住，刑事案件总是由国家提起，而不是由受害者提起。受害者可能是证人，但案件名称通常是 R v 被告，其中 R 代表国王或女王。

2. Actus Reus vs Mens Rea | 犯罪行为与犯罪意图

Actus reus means the ‘guilty act’. It covers all physical elements of a crime, such as hitting someone, taking property, or failing to act when required.

Actus reus 意为“犯罪行为”。它涵盖犯罪的所有身体要素，例如殴打他人、拿走财物或在需要时未能采取行动。

Mens rea means the ‘guilty mind’. It refers to the mental element, such as intention, recklessness, or knowledge that the act is wrong.

Mens rea 意为“犯罪意图”。它指的是主观心理要素，例如故意、轻率或明知行为违法。

A useful memory hook is that actus reus starts with ‘act’, so it is the action; mens rea starts with ‘m’ for mind, so it is the mental side.

一个有用的记忆钩子是 actus reus 以 act 开头，所以与行为有关；mens rea 以 m 开头，联想到 mind，所以与心理方面有关。

For most offences, the prosecution must prove both actus reus and mens rea beyond reasonable doubt. If either element is missing, the defendant cannot normally be convicted.

对于大多数罪行，控方必须排除合理怀疑地证明犯罪行为和犯罪意图同时存在。如果缺少任何一个要素，被告通常不能被定罪。

3. Strict Liability Offences | 严格责任罪行

Strict liability offences are crimes where mens rea is not required for at least part of the actus reus. This means a defendant can be convicted even if they did not intend to commit the offence.

严格责任罪行是指对至少部分犯罪行为不要求犯罪意图的罪行。这意味着即使被告并非故意犯罪，也可能被定罪。

These offences are often regulatory, such as speeding, selling alcohol to a minor, or food hygiene breaches. The law imposes a high duty of care on certain activities.

这些罪行通常是监管类犯罪，例如超速驾驶、向未成年人出售酒精或违反食品卫生规定。法律对某些活动施加了较高的注意义务。

Example: If a shop owner sells a lottery ticket to someone under 16, they commit a strict liability offence even if the young person looked older and showed a fake ID.

示例：如果店主向未满 16 岁的人出售彩票，即使该年轻人看起来年龄较大并出示了假身份证，店主仍构成严格责任罪行。

Memory hook: ‘no mens rea, no excuse’ – strict liability removes the need to prove a guilty mind, so carelessness or ignorance is not a defence.

记忆钩子：“无犯罪意图，无借口”——严格责任免除了证明犯罪意图的必要，因此疏忽或不知情不能作为抗辩理由。

4. Civil Law vs Criminal Law | 民法与刑法对比

Published by TutorHao | IGCSE 法律 Revision Series | aleveler.com

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