Law & Citizenship · Unit 8
Crime and Punishment
What counts as a crime and what happens next
Criminal law is the part of the system where the state acts against an individual, which is why the safeguards around it are heaviest.
The unit covers what makes something a crime, evidence and the standard of proof, how a criminal trial runs, sentencing and what it is trying to achieve, and how young people are treated differently.
This unit breaks down into 18 short steps and 109 questions, starting at difficulty 2 and building to 3. Below you can see exactly what it covers, how the path is structured, and worked examples with explanations.
- Steps
- 18
- Questions
- 109
- Difficulty
- 2-3
What this unit covers
- Young People and the Law
- What Is a Crime
- Sentencing
- Evidence and Proof
- A Criminal Trial
Where this fits
Follows Police, Courts and Judges.
Where people slip
Beyond reasonable doubt is a deliberately high bar, and it means some guilty people are acquitted. The system accepts that cost to reduce the risk of convicting the innocent.
How the unit is structured
Crime and Punishment runs as 18 short steps that unlock in order. 13 are practice rounds and 5 are challenge rounds that pull together everything before them. Questions start at difficulty 2 and climb to 3 as you progress.
Challenge rounds
Example questions
30 real questions from this unit, with the answer and the reason behind it, grouped by what they practise. There are 109 in the unit altogether.
A Criminal Trial
- Build the sentenceLevel 2
1. Build a sentence about proof.
Answer: Guilt must be proved beyond reasonable doubt
Guilt must be proved beyond reasonable doubt.
- Choose all that applyLevel 2
2. Which are rights of an accused person? Pick all that apply.
- To know what they are accused ofcorrect
- To have a lawyercorrect
- To a fair hearingcorrect
- To choose the judge personally
Legal representation, a fair hearing and knowing the charge are all rights.
- Fill the blankLevel 2
3. In a criminal case the ____ must prove the charge.
- prosecutioncorrect
- defendant
- jury
- witness
The burden of proof lies with the prosecution.
- Multiple choiceLevel 2
4. What does innocent until proven guilty mean?
- Someone is treated as innocent unless proof is showncorrect
- Everyone is guilty at first
- Only judges are innocent
- Proof is not needed
A person is treated as innocent unless the case against them is proved.
- Put in orderLevel 2
5. Put these criminal case stages in order.
Answer: Investigation -> Charge -> Trial -> Verdict -> Sentence if guilty
Investigation, charge, trial, verdict, sentence.
- Sort into groupsLevel 2
6. Sort each item by whose responsibility it is at trial.
Answer: Proving the charge = Prosecution; Disclosing helpful material = Prosecution; Testing the evidence = Defence; Advancing the accused's case = Defence
Roles are separated deliberately.
Evidence and Proof
- Build the sentenceLevel 2
7. Build a sentence about evidence.
Answer: Evidence shows what actually happened
Evidence shows what actually happened.
- Choose all that applyLevel 2
8. Which can be evidence? Pick all that apply.
- A witness accountcorrect
- CCTV footagecorrect
- Fingerprintscorrect
- A wild guess
Witness accounts, CCTV and physical traces are all evidence.
- Fill the blankLevel 2
9. The documented record of who handled evidence is the chain of ____.
- custodycorrect
- command
- events
- reasoning
Custody records protect evidence integrity.
- Multiple choiceLevel 2
10. Why must evidence be collected carefully?
- Careless handling can contaminate itcorrect
- It looks better
- To take longer
- There is no need
Careless handling can damage or contaminate it and make it unreliable.
- Picture questionLevel 2
11. 🔍 What is this used to gather at a crime scene?
- Evidence, examined carefully
- Money
- Votes
- Laws
A magnifying glass represents careful examination for evidence.
- Sort into groupsLevel 3
12. Sort each factor by whether it strengthens or weakens evidence reliability.
Answer: Blind analysis procedures = Strengthens reliability; Validated methods = Strengthens reliability; Suggestive identification procedure = Weakens reliability; Broken chain of custody = Weakens reliability
Process quality determines evidential value.
Sentencing
- Choose all that applyLevel 2
13. Which are types of sentence? Pick all that apply.
- A finecorrect
- A community ordercorrect
- Imprisonmentcorrect
- A medal
Fines, community orders and imprisonment are all sentences.
- Fact or fibLevel 2
14. Every crime is punished with prison.
Answer: False
False. Many sentences are fines, community orders or other penalties.
- Multiple choiceLevel 2
15. Which of these is a possible sentence?
- Community servicecorrect
- A school report
- A parking ticket for someone else
- A birthday party
Community service requires unpaid work as a penalty.
- True or falseLevel 2
16. Not every guilty person goes to prison.
Answer: True
True. Fines, community orders and other penalties are often used.
- Fill the blankLevel 3
17. Supervised release before a sentence ends is called ____.
- parolecorrect
- pardon
- probation order
- acquittal
Parole is conditional and can be revoked.
- Put in orderLevel 3
18. Put these sentencing steps in order.
Answer: Conviction is recorded -> Reports are prepared -> Aggravating and mitigating factors weighed -> The guideline range is applied -> Sentence is passed
Conviction, reports, factors, guideline range, sentence.
What Is a Crime
- Choose all that applyLevel 2
19. Which are crimes? Pick all that apply.
- Theftcorrect
- Damaging property deliberatelycorrect
- Assaultcorrect
- Being unfriendly
Theft, criminal damage and assault are all crimes.
- Multiple choiceLevel 2
20. What is a crime?
- An act forbidden by law and punishable by the statecorrect
- Any rude behaviour
- A broken promise
- A mistake at school
An act forbidden by law that the state can punish.
- Sort into groupsLevel 2
21. Sort each act as a crime or not a crime.
Answer: Stealing a bicycle = A crime; Smashing a window deliberately = A crime; Being rude to a friend = Not a crime; Forgetting a birthday = Not a crime
Only some wrongs are criminal offences.
- True or falseLevel 2
22. Something can be unkind without being a crime.
Answer: True
True. Not every wrong is against the law.
- Type the answerLevel 2
23. What is taking someone else's property called?
Answer: theft
Theft is taking property dishonestly.
- Fact or fibLevel 3
24. Intention is required for every criminal offence.
Answer: False
False. Strict liability offences require no proof of a guilty mind.
Young People and the Law
- Choose all that applyLevel 2
25. Which support young people away from crime? Pick all that apply.
- Staying in educationcorrect
- Mentoring and supportcorrect
- Positive activities and clubscorrect
- Exclusion with no support
Education, mentoring, family support and activities all help.
- Multiple choiceLevel 2
26. Are young people treated differently by the law?
- Yes, with a focus on helping them change
- No, exactly the same
- They are ignored
- They face harsher rules always
Yes. Youth systems focus more on helping young people change.
- Odd one outLevel 2
27. Which of these does NOT help a young person avoid trouble?
- Exclusion with no supportcorrect
- A trusted mentor
- Staying in school
- Joining a club
Being excluded with no support increases risk rather than reducing it.
- True or falseLevel 2
28. Young people's identities are usually protected in court reporting.
Answer: True
True, to avoid harming their future.
- Type the answerLevel 2
29. What is the minimum age at which someone can be charged with a crime called?
Answer: age of criminal responsibility
The age of criminal responsibility varies between countries.
- Build the sentenceLevel 3
30. Build a sentence about youth justice.
Answer: Most young people stop offending as they mature
Most young people stop offending as they mature.
Where these questions come from. Each unit starts as a plan of the concepts it should cover and the difficulty it should span. Questions are written against that plan with AI assistance, then checked by a validator that rejects anything without a single defensible answer, an explanation, or plausible wrong options. How we write questions sets out the whole process, and corrections are fixed in the bank and reach the site and the app the same day.
How you practise
This unit mixes 11 different question formats, so you are recalling and applying rather than recognising the same layout every time.
- Build the sentence
- Choose all that apply
- Fact or fib
- Fill the blank
- Multiple choice
- Odd one out
- Picture question
- Put in order
- Sort into groups
- True or false
- Type the answer
Practise Crime and Punishment
109 questions across 18 steps. Start with step one and crawl at your own pace.
Play this unitRead about Crime and Punishment
Explainers from our blog on what this unit covers. Each one ends with real questions from the bank.
- What Is Double Jeopardy? Why You Cannot Be Tried Twice for the Same CrimeDouble jeopardy is the rule that an acquitted person cannot be tried again for the same offence. Where it comes from, what it protects, and the exceptions made.September 14, 2026 · 5 min read
- What Is a Statute of Limitations? Why Old Claims and Crimes ExpireA statute of limitations is a law that bars a lawsuit or prosecution after a set time has passed. Why the clock exists, and when it starts.September 15, 2026 · 4 min read
- What Is Bail? Why Suspects Go Free Before Trial and Who DecidesBail is release from custody while a criminal case is pending, on conditions or a promise of money. Why the law presumes it, and why Britain and America differ.September 15, 2026 · 5 min read
- What Is a Plea Bargain? Why Most Criminal Cases Never Reach a TrialA plea bargain is an agreement in which the accused pleads guilty for a lighter charge or sentence, and it settles nine cases in ten in America. How it works.September 15, 2026 · 5 min read
More units in Law & Citizenship
- Rules and FairnessWhy rules exist and what makes them fair
- Living in a CommunityNeighbours, services and looking after each other
- Who Decides?Leaders, voting and making choices together
- Police, Courts and JudgesWho enforces the law and who decides cases
- Rights and FreedomsWhat everyone is entitled to, and why
- How Government WorksParliaments, presidents and the branches of power
- Elections and DemocracyCampaigns, ballots and counting the votes
- Law in Everyday LifeContracts, consumers, work and the rules around us