A1 Level – Elementary
1. What is the difference between fair and unfair?
2. What is a common punishment for a small crime?
3. What makes a good judge?
4. Do you think all laws are fair?
5. What is the job of the police?
6. What is a common rule in your school or city?
7. Do you have the right to a fair trial?
8. What makes a society peaceful?
9. What is the opposite of justice?
10. Do you like hearing court dramas?
11. What makes a good law?
12. Do you think children always tell the truth?
13. What is a common symbol of justice?
14. What are some different types of crime?
15. Do you think everyone is treated equally?
A2 Level – Pre-Intermediate
1. What are the key differences between criminal justice and social justice?
2. Describe one law in your country that you think needs to be changed.
3. What is the purpose of having lawyers and legal defenders in court?
4. What are the pros and cons of implementing the death penalty?
5. Have you ever been a witness to a situation that required justice?
6. What are the challenges of making sure people of all income levels receive fair treatment?
7. What role does community service play as a form of restorative justice?
8. What is the difference between rehabilitation and punishment in the prison system?
9. How does media coverage of a crime affect the public’s perception of the verdict?
10. What are the most common reasons why innocent people are sometimes wrongly convicted?
11. What is the importance of having an independent judiciary system?
12. Do you think there is such a thing as perfect justice?
13. What are the challenges of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt?
14. What are the rights of a citizen who is being questioned by the police?
15. What is the difference between revenge and justice?
B1 Level – Intermediate
1. Discuss the difficulty of achieving restorative justice when a serious crime has been committed.
2. How can citizens participate actively in demanding social justice and policy reform?
3. What are the ethical issues surrounding the use of artificial intelligence in predicting crime or sentencing?
4. Do you agree that the legal system in your country adequately protects the rights of minority groups?
5. Describe a major historical event where a lack of justice led to a large social movement.
6. To what extent should the personal background and circumstances of a criminal be considered in sentencing?
7. What role do non-governmental organizations (NGOs) play in advocating for legal reform?
8. How do cultural beliefs about honor and shame sometimes conflict with formal legal systems?
9. Discuss the psychological impact of being a victim of injustice or discrimination.
10. What are the challenges of standardizing justice across different legal traditions (e.g., civil law vs. common law)?
11. How does the concept of “innocent until proven guilty” protect citizens?
12. Should mandatory sentencing laws be eliminated to allow judges more discretion?
13. What is the difference between justice and equality (treating everyone the same)?
14. Discuss the concept of “trial by social media” and its fairness.
15. What is the long-term impact of consistent injustice on public trust in the government?
B2 Level – Upper-Intermediate
1. How does economic inequality create systemic barriers that prevent poor citizens from accessing legal justice?
2. What are the ethical arguments about using genetic or biometric evidence in criminal trials?
3. Should the legal age of criminal responsibility be raised or lowered in your country, and why?
4. What are the psychological reasons why societies often demand harsh punishments for certain crimes?
5. How has the ability to easily record events (with phones) changed the dynamics of policing and accountability?
6. Discuss the idea that the prison system should focus entirely on rehabilitation rather than retribution.
7. What is the role of international law (e.g., the ICC) in prosecuting crimes against humanity?
8. How do public figures and media commentators influence the climate of justice and public opinion on specific cases?
9. What are the challenges of ensuring justice for crimes committed entirely in the digital world (cybercrime)?
10. Discuss the concept of “pardon” or “amnesty”—is forgiveness compatible with justice?
11. What is the difference between formal law (the text) and the interpretation of the law (the practice)?
12. Should citizens be required to participate in some form of jury service or civic duty related to justice?
13. What is the impact of mandatory minimum sentencing laws on judicial fairness?
14. How does the history of racial or social discrimination continue to affect modern policing and sentencing?
15. Discuss the idea that justice is not something you receive, but something you must actively demand and fight for.
C1 Level – Advanced
1. Analyze the socioeconomic factors that correlate with higher rates of incarceration and recidivism (re-offending).
2. To what degree should the legal system recognize and compensate individuals who were wrongly imprisoned?
3. Discuss the philosophical concept of “distributive justice”—fair allocation of resources and opportunities in society.
4. Evaluate the efficacy of targeted economic sanctions as a tool for enforcing international political justice.
5. How does the strategic use of legal loopholes and complex statutes allow wealthy entities to evade justice?
6. Examine the legal challenges of regulating non-state actors (e.g., terrorist groups) under international justice frameworks.
7. What ethical guidelines should govern the use of pre-trial detention and bail systems to ensure fairness?
8. Discuss the concept of “tyranny of the majority” and how it affects the justice and rights of minority groups.
9. How do different national constitutions define the relationship between individual liberty and state security?
10. Analyze the interplay between political lobbying and the legislative creation of laws that favor specific corporate interests.
11. What ethical challenges arise when new forensic technologies (e.g., DNA analysis) are used to overturn decades-old convictions?
12. Debate whether the focus on individual criminal accountability distracts from the need for systemic social justice reform.
13. How does the architecture of courthouses and prisons subtly communicate power, authority, and the nature of justice?
14. Discuss the concept of “legal fiction”—ideas treated as fact within the law despite their literal untruth (e.g., corporate personhood).
15. To what extent does the emotional need for closure among victims conflict with the requirements for legal impartiality?
C2 Level – Proficiency
1. How do you analyze the idea that justice is fundamentally a contest of narratives, decided by who tells the most persuasive story?
2. Formulate a critique of global legal frameworks (like the Geneva Conventions) in addressing new forms of warfare and conflict.
3. Analyze the intersection of digital technology, mass surveillance, and the potential for a completely predictive, pre-emptive justice system.
4. Discuss the philosophical distinction between “deontological ethics” (duty-based) and “utilitarian ethics” (outcome-based) in legal judgment.
5. Critically evaluate the effectiveness of truth and reconciliation commissions in achieving genuine historical justice and healing.
6. Propose a radical new model for criminal sentencing that focuses entirely on civic and social contribution rather than confinement.
7. Examine the psychological function of the “scare effect” in law—using punishment as a deterrent for the wider population.
8. How does the semiotics of courtroom dress, language, and ritual reinforce the authority and perceived neutrality of the law?
9. Discuss the ethical responsibilities of judges and prosecutors in addressing their own implicit biases during decision-making.
10. Analyze the historical relationship between the development of state power and the monopolization of violence and legal authority.
11. Articulate the inherent tension between the universal principle of law and the necessity of interpreting law to fit specific, unique cases.
12. Debate whether a completely transparent and recorded justice system would improve or undermine the integrity of the judicial process.
13. Assess the long-term societal effects of privatization on the quality and accessibility of legal and correctional services.
14. Discuss the philosophical definition of ‘sovereignty’ and how it conflicts with the international community’s right to demand justice.
15. How might the principles of legal reasoning be used to model processes of complex ethical decision-making in non-legal fields?
