Okuzeka
Criminal Law & Justice vocabulary · Police Investigation & Arrest

Statement

Meaning in criminal law & justice, with examples

/ˈsteɪtmənt/nounCore term

In criminal law & justice, statement means: A written or recorded account of what a person saw, heard or did, given formally to the police or a court.

In Turkish: ifade, beyan, ifade tutanağı

How it is used

Witnesses 'give' or 'make' a statement; police officers 'take' one. A 'witness statement' may be read in court, and suspects sometimes give a 'prepared statement' through their lawyer. Statements are usually signed to confirm that they are true.

Example sentences

  1. Officers took statements from everyone who was in the bar.

  2. In her statement, she described the car in detail.

  3. He later said his statement had been made under pressure.

Common collocations

  • give a statement
  • take a statement
  • witness statement
  • sign a statement
  • prepared statement
  • witnessA person who saw or heard something connected with a crime, or who gives information about it in court.
  • interrogationThe formal and often long questioning of a suspect by the police or other officials in order to get information or a confession.
  • confessionA statement in which a person admits that they committed a crime, usually made to the police during questioning.
  • testifyTo make a formal statement in court about what you know or saw, usually after promising to tell the truth.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Police Investigation & Arrest

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.