Climate Change Impacts & Criminal Justice Lexicon

Understanding Global Warming: Causes & Impacts

This document details the primary causes and significant consequences of global warming on our planet. Understanding these factors is crucial for addressing this pressing environmental challenge.

Causes of Global Warming

Global warming is primarily driven by human activities. The three main causes include:

• The Greenhouse Effect

  This phenomenon occurs when humans extensively use energy, leading to the burning of fossil fuels. This process releases toxic gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, which accumulate in the atmosphere. These gases trap heat, preventing it from escaping into space and thereby destroying the delicate atmospheric balance.

• Deforestation

  A significant environmental problem, deforestation involves the widespread cutting down of trees. Trees play a vital role in absorbing carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas, and helping to regulate the Earth's climate. The reduction in forest cover means less carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere, exacerbating global warming. We urgently need more trees to combat this issue.

• Toxic Waste

  The improper disposal of residual and hazardous materials by humans into harmful sites, such as landfills, pollutes the atmosphere. These waste products can release potent greenhouse gases and other pollutants, contributing to the overall warming trend and environmental degradation.

Consequences of Global Warming

The impacts of global warming are far-reaching and affect various aspects of our planet:

• Impact on Water Systems

  Warmer seas are a direct consequence, leading to the melting of ice caps and glaciers. As water expands when heated, sea levels rise significantly. A major consequence of this process is the increased flooding of coastal areas, threatening communities and ecosystems worldwide.

• Impact on Air and Ecosystems

  The air quality and climate patterns are severely affected. Reduced rainfall leads to crop failures, which in turn causes famine. As a result, many plant and animal species face extinction due to habitat loss and lack of resources.

• Extreme Weather Conditions

  Global warming intensifies the frequency and severity of extreme weather events. Examples include more powerful hurricanes, destructive tornadoes, and widespread floods, causing immense damage and loss of life.

Criminal Justice Vocabulary

This section provides a comprehensive list of terms related to criminals, law courts, and various sentences and punishments within the criminal justice system.

Types of Criminals

Pickpocket

A person who steals from people's pockets or bags, typically without them noticing (carterista).

Arsonist

A person who deliberately sets fire to property (pirómano).

Forger

A person who illegally copies documents, signatures, or works of art (falsificador).

Burglar

A person who breaks into a building, typically a home, to commit theft (roba cosas de casa).

Blackmailer

A person who demands money or other benefits from someone in return for not revealing compromising information (chantajista).

Kidnapper

A person who abducts and holds someone captive, typically to demand a ransom (secuestrador).

Thief

A person who steals, especially secretly and without violence (ladrón).

Hijacker

A person who illegally seizes a vehicle, typically an aircraft or car, in transit (ladrón de vehículos).

Shoplifter

A person who steals goods from a shop while pretending to be a customer (roba en tiendas).

Robber

A person who steals, typically using force or threats, especially from banks (roba bancos).

Mugger

A person who attacks and robs someone, typically in a public place (atracador).

Smuggler

A person who imports or exports goods secretly and illegally (contrabandista).

Murderer

A person who unlawfully kills another human being (asesino).

Law Court Terminology

The Accused / Defendant

The person or group of people charged with a crime (acusado).

Lawyer

A person who practices or studies law, especially a solicitor or barrister (abogado).

Judge

A public official appointed to decide cases in a law court (juez).

Jury

A body of people sworn to give a verdict in a legal case on the basis of evidence submitted to them in court (jurado).

Defence

The case presented by or on behalf of the party being accused or sued in a lawsuit (defensor).

Trial

A formal examination of evidence by a judge, and often a jury, in a court of law to decide if someone is guilty of a crime (juicio).

Witness

A person who sees an event, typically a crime or accident, take place (testigo).

Testimony

A formal written or spoken statement, especially one given in a court of law (testimonio).

Verdict

A decision on a disputed issue in a civil or criminal case or an inquest (veredicto).

Evidence

The available body of facts or information indicating whether a belief or proposition is true or valid (pruebas).

Inquiry

An official investigation (investigación).

Sentences & Punishments

Capital Punishment

The legally authorized killing of someone as punishment for a crime (Pena de muerte).

Community Service

Unpaid work, intended to be of social use, that an offender is ordered to do instead of going to prison (servicio comunitario).

Corporal Punishment

Physical punishment, such as flogging (tortura).

Prison Sentence

A period of time that a person must spend in prison as punishment for a crime (Pena de prisión).

Suspended Sentence

A criminal sentence that is not carried out as long as the defendant commits no further offenses (el juez necesita más tiempo para pensar).

Find Innocent/Guilty

To determine whether the accused is not responsible or responsible for the crime (encontrar al inocente o culpable).

Release on Bail

To allow a prisoner to be temporarily released on payment of bail (libertad bajo fianza).

Prosecution

The institution and conducting of legal proceedings against someone in respect of a criminal charge (acusación).

Fine

A sum of money exacted as a penalty for an offense (multa).