Okuzeka
Criminal Law & Justice vocabulary · Elements of Crime & Liability

Perpetrator

Meaning in criminal law & justice, with examples

/ˈpɜːpətreɪtə/nounCommon term

In criminal law & justice, perpetrator means: The person who actually committed a crime or a harmful act; a formal word used by police, courts and researchers.

In Turkish: fail, suçu işleyen kişi

How it is used

Formal and common in reports and the media: 'the perpetrators', 'bring the perpetrators to justice', 'perpetrators of domestic violence'. The verb 'perpetrate' (commit) is very formal. The short form 'perp' is police slang, mostly heard in American films and series.

Example sentences

  1. Police are determined to find the perpetrators.

  2. The programme works with perpetrators of domestic violence to change their behaviour.

  3. The perpetrator has never been identified.

Common collocations

  • bring the perpetrators to justice
  • alleged perpetrator
  • identify the perpetrator
  • perpetrators of violence
  • offenderA person who has committed a crime, especially one who has been convicted; the word is common in sentencing, prisons and probation.
  • accompliceA person who helps someone else commit a crime, for example by planning it, keeping watch or driving the getaway car.
  • suspectA person whom the police believe may have committed a crime but who has not yet been charged or found guilty.
  • victimA person who has been harmed, injured or killed as a result of a crime, or who has lost money or property because of it.

More terms: Elements of Crime & Liability

Practise with graded reading

Reading at the right level is the fastest way to make new words stick. Pick free English books by level:

This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not legal advice.