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Justice, police and security

Police, gendarmerie, crimes, offences, penalties, assistance to a person in danger: the rules of security and justice.

21 questions · Updated on 2026-10-28

In the exam, the questions are in French: the translation is an aid to help you understand.

Que doit faire une personne en cas d’accident ?

What should a person do in the event of an accident?

  1. Partir sans rien faireLeave without doing anything
  2. Filmer la scène et la publier sur les réseaux sociauxFilm the scene and post it on social media
  3. AnswerAppeler les secoursCall the emergency services
  4. Attendre que quelqu'un d'autre s'en occupeWait for someone else to deal with it
Explanation Helping a person in danger is an obligation: otherwise you can be convicted of "failure to assist a person in danger". Numbers: 15 (ambulance), 17 (police), 18 (fire brigade), 112.

Source : Les obligations en tant que résident français · Official lists: CSP

Que risque une personne qui ne respecte pas la loi ?

What does a person who breaks the law risk?

  1. AnswerUne sanction : amende ou prisonA penalty: a fine or prison
  2. Rien, si personne ne l'a vueNothing, if nobody saw them
  3. La perte automatique de son logementAutomatically losing their home
  4. Seulement un avertissement de ses voisinsOnly a warning from the neighbours
Explanation Breaking the law can lead to a penalty decided by a judge according to its seriousness: minor offence (fine), délit (fine and up to 10 years in prison) or crime (15 years to life).

Source : Se conformer aux lois : les infractions (1/2) · Official lists: CSP

Quel est le rôle de la gendarmerie ?

What is the role of the gendarmerie?

  1. Voter les loisPassing laws
  2. Collecter les impôtsCollecting taxes
  3. AnswerAssurer la sécurité, surtout dans les zones ruralesEnsuring safety, especially in rural areas
  4. Juger les personnes accusées d'un crime devant un tribunalTrying people accused of a crime in court
Explanation The gendarmerie works in rural and suburban areas and on the roads; the police mainly in towns. They have the same missions. Gendarmes have military status.

Source : Se conformer aux lois - les acteurs (2/2) · Official lists: CSP

Quel est le rôle de la police ?

What is the role of the police?

  1. Voter les lois au ParlementVoting on laws in Parliament
  2. AnswerFaire respecter la loi et protéger les personnesEnforcing the law and protecting people
  3. Juger et condamner les personnes accuséesTrying and sentencing accused people
  4. Défendre les accusés devant le tribunalDefending the accused in court
Explanation The police prevent offences, keep public order, protect people and property and investigate. Judges, not the police, hand down sentences.

Source : Se conformer aux lois - les acteurs (2/2) · Official lists: CSP, CR

Qu'est-ce qu'une infraction ?

What is an offence?

  1. AnswerUn acte interdit par la loi et puni d'une sanctionAn act forbidden by law and punished by a penalty
  2. Une démarche administrative en mairieAn administrative procedure at the town hall
  3. Une simple dispute entre voisins, sans aucune conséquenceA simple argument between neighbours, with no consequences
  4. Un contrat signé entre deux personnesA contract signed between two people
Explanation Criminal offences are acts forbidden by law. There are 3 types, from least to most serious: contravention (minor offence), délit (intermediate offence) and crime (most serious).

Source : Se conformer aux lois : les infractions (1/2) · Official lists: CSP

En quoi consiste la traite des êtres humains ?

What is human trafficking?

  1. Aider une personne à trouver un emploi déclaréHelping someone find a declared job
  2. Héberger gratuitement un ami de passagePutting up a visiting friend for free
  3. AnswerRecruter ou transporter une personne pour l'exploiterRecruiting or transporting a person in order to exploit them
  4. Vendre des produits sur un marchéSelling goods at a market
Explanation Human trafficking means recruiting, transporting or housing a person to exploit them: prostitution, slavery, forced labour or forced begging. It is forbidden in France.

Source : La traite des êtres humains et la prostitution · Official lists: CSP

Que doit faire une victime de violences ?

What should a victim of violence do?

  1. AnswerEn parler et porter plainteTalk about it and report it to the police
  2. Garder le silence pour protéger sa familleKeep quiet to protect the family
  3. Se venger elle-même de l'agresseurTake revenge on the attacker herself
  4. Attendre que les violences s'arrêtent d'elles-mêmesWait for the violence to stop by itself
Explanation The victim is never to blame. They can file a complaint at any police or gendarmerie station and get free help from associations. Domestic violence helpline: 3919.

Source : La protection des victimes de violences · Official lists: CSP, CR

Quelle est l'infraction la plus grave ?

What is the most serious type of offence?

  1. L'incivilitéAntisocial behaviour (incivilité)
  2. Le délitAn intermediate offence (délit)
  3. La contraventionA minor offence (contravention)
  4. AnswerLe crimeA crime
Explanation A crime (murder, rape, terrorism…) is the most serious offence: 15 years to life in prison. It is tried by the cour d'assises or the cour criminelle.

Source : Se conformer aux lois : les infractions (1/2) · Official lists: CSP, CR, Naturalisation

Quel est un exemple d’assistance à personne en danger ?

What is an example of assisting a person in danger?

  1. Passer à côté d'un blessé sans s'arrêterWalking past an injured person without stopping
  2. Filmer une personne qui fait un malaiseFilming someone who has collapsed
  3. AnswerAppeler le 15 pour une personne inconscienteCalling 15 for an unconscious person
  4. Attendre qu'un autre passant appelle les secoursWaiting for another passer-by to call for help
Explanation Everyone must help a person in danger without putting themselves at risk. Calling 15 (SAMU ambulance) or 112 is often enough. Doing nothing can be punished.

Source : Les obligations en tant que résident français · Official lists: CR

Quelle est l’attitude à avoir lorsque qu'on est témoin de violences ?

What should you do when you witness violence?

  1. Frapper l'agresseurHit the attacker
  2. AnswerAgir sans se mettre en danger, par exemple appeler le 17Act without putting yourself in danger, for example call 17
  3. Filmer la scène pour la publierFilm the scene to post it
  4. Ne rien faire, car cela ne nous regarde pasDo nothing, because it is none of your business
Explanation A witness must act: first protect themselves, then help the victim, call the police (17) or look for help. They can later give evidence to the police or a judge.

Source : Le rôle des témoins en cas de violences · Official lists: CR

Quelle proposition représente un exemple de crime ?

Which of these is an example of a crime (the most serious offence)?

  1. Un vol à l'étalageShoplifting
  2. Un excès de vitesseSpeeding
  3. AnswerUn meurtreMurder
  4. Du tapage nocturneMaking noise at night
Explanation Murder, rape, armed robbery and terrorism are crimes, punished by 15 years to life in prison. Theft is a délit; speeding and night-time noise are minor offences (contraventions).

Source : Se conformer aux lois : les infractions (1/2) · Official lists: CR

Quelle proposition représente un exemple de délit ?

Which of these is an example of a délit (intermediate offence)?

  1. Un braquageArmed robbery
  2. AnswerUn volTheft
  3. Du tapage nocturneMaking noise at night
  4. Un meurtreMurder
Explanation A délit is an intermediate offence: theft, tax fraud, harassment… It is tried by the criminal court (tribunal correctionnel) and punished by a fine of at least €3,750 and up to 10 years in prison.

Source : Se conformer aux lois : les infractions (1/2) · Official lists: CR

Qui veille au maintien de l’ordre public ?

Who ensures public order is maintained?

  1. Les associations de quartierNeighbourhood associations
  2. Les avocatsLawyers
  3. Les syndicats de salariésTrade unions
  4. AnswerLa police et la gendarmerieThe police and the gendarmerie
Explanation The police (in towns) and the gendarmerie (rural areas and roads) are the law enforcement forces. They prevent offences, keep public order and protect people and property.

Source : Se conformer aux lois - les acteurs (2/2) · Official lists: CR

Quel droit protège une personne contre une arrestation arbitraire ?

Which right protects a person against arbitrary arrest?

  1. Le droit de grèveThe right to strike
  2. AnswerLe droit à la sûretéThe right to security of person (sûreté)
  3. Le droit de propriétéThe right to property
  4. Le droit au logementThe right to housing
Explanation Security of person (sûreté) is a natural right in the 1789 Declaration (Article 2). Article 7: no one may be arrested or detained except in cases set by law. It includes the presumption of innocence and the right to a lawyer.

Source : Présentation des principaux textes (1/3) : La Déclaration des droits de l'homme et du citoyen · Official lists: Naturalisation

Suite à une interpellation par la police, il est possible de :

After being stopped and held by the police, it is possible to:

  1. AnswerGarder le silence et demander un avocatRemain silent and ask for a lawyer
  2. Frapper le policier pour se défendreHit the officer to defend yourself
  3. Quitter les lieux quand on le souhaite, sans rien direLeave whenever you want, without saying anything
  4. Être jugé immédiatement par le policierBe tried on the spot by the police officer
Explanation The rights of the defence protect everyone, French or foreign: the right to remain silent, the right to a lawyer and the presumption of innocence. Only a judge can convict.

Source : Les droits liés à la personne humaine · Official lists: Naturalisation

En France, la conduite sans permis d'une moto est :

In France, riding a motorbike without a licence is:

  1. Autorisée pour les petits trajetsAllowed for short trips
  2. AnswerUn délitA délit (offence punishable by prison)
  3. Autorisée si on a une assuranceAllowed if you have insurance
  4. Une simple faute sans sanctionA simple mistake with no penalty
Explanation To drive you need a valid licence, a vehicle registration document and insurance. Driving without a licence is a délit: it can be punished by a fine and a prison sentence.

Source : Les démarches du quotidien comme le permis de conduire (1/2) · Official lists: Naturalisation

Est-il obligatoire de porter secours à une personne en danger ?

Is it compulsory to help a person in danger?

  1. Seulement si la personne fait partie de sa familleOnly if the person is a family member
  2. AnswerOui, sans se mettre soi-même en dangerYes, without putting yourself in danger
  3. Non, c'est seulement conseilléNo, it is only recommended
  4. Oui, mais seulement pour les médecins et les pompiersYes, but only for doctors and firefighters
Explanation Everyone must help a person in danger, at least by calling emergency services (15, 17, 18, 112). Failing to do so can be punished as "failure to assist a person in danger".

Source : Les obligations en tant que résident français · Official lists: Naturalisation

Être juré d'assises est :

Serving as a juror at the cour d'assises is:

  1. Une mission réservée aux avocatsA role reserved for lawyers
  2. Un métier payé à plein tempsA full-time paid job
  3. Une activité ouverte à toute personne qui en fait la demandeAn activity open to anyone who applies
  4. AnswerUn devoir civiqueA civic duty
Explanation Any citizen over 23, on the electoral roll and with full civic rights can be drawn by lot to be a juror. Citizens thus take part directly in justice.

Source : Les obligations en tant que citoyen français · Official lists: Naturalisation

Le non-respect du code de la route est :

Not respecting the Highway Code is:

  1. Autorisé la nuit sur les routes videsAllowed at night on empty roads
  2. AnswerUne infraction punie par la loiAn offence punished by law
  3. Sans conséquence si personne n'est blesséWithout consequences if nobody is hurt
  4. Un simple conseil de prudenceJust a piece of safety advice
Explanation The Highway Code is the law. Speeding is a minor offence (fine); more serious faults, such as driving without a licence, are délits. Police and gendarmes can issue fines.

Source : Se conformer aux lois : les infractions (1/2) · Official lists: Naturalisation

Que doit faire un citoyen s'il est appelé à être juré dans un procès d'assises ?

What must a citizen do if called to serve as a juror in a cour d'assises trial?

  1. Payer une somme pour être dispenséPay a sum to be excused
  2. Refuser sans donner de raisonRefuse without giving a reason
  3. AnswerSe présenter : c'est obligatoireAttend: it is compulsory
  4. Envoyer un membre de sa famille à sa placeSend a family member instead
Explanation Jury service is a duty: unless there is a serious accepted reason, a citizen drawn by lot must serve, or may be fined. Jurors try crimes alongside professional judges.

Source : Les obligations en tant que citoyen français · Official lists: Naturalisation

Quelle aide permet aux personnes qui ont des difficultés financières d'avoir un avocat ?

Which aid allows people with financial difficulties to have a lawyer?

  1. L'aide personnalisée au logement (APL)Personal housing benefit (APL)
  2. Le chèque énergieThe energy voucher (chèque énergie)
  3. La prime d'activitéThe in-work benefit (prime d'activité)
  4. AnswerL'aide juridictionnelleLegal aid (aide juridictionnelle)
Explanation With legal aid, the State pays all or part of the lawyer's and court fees of people on low incomes. You apply with a form, and it depends on household resources.

Source : Service-Public.fr · Official lists: CR, Naturalisation

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