Read the text to fulfil the tasks. The aim of the domestic legal system is both to control unlawful activities against citizens and the state

The aim of the domestic legal system is both to control unlawful activities against citizens and the state, and to serve citizens in a variety of ways. Hence there are two main branches of law in the United Kingdom — criminal law and civil law.

Criminal law is concerned with acts punishable by the state, in other words, the primary object of criminal law is to protect society by punishing those who are considered to have broken the law and done something wrong to society in general. The trial and the punishment are supposed to act as deterrents to potential offenders, as well as to state society's attitudes on a wide range of matters. For this reason it is usually the state which initiates proceedings against an individual or a group and a criminal action is brought against the accused in the name of the Queen.

Civil law covers disputes (about the rights, duties and obligations) between two or more parties — individuals, companies or other organisations. It also provides a means of legal scrutiny of the action of public bodies. The purpose of English civil law is not to punish, but to establish harmony or obtain compensation or some other remedy. One party (plaintiff) will initiate a civil action against another individual or organisation (defendant). The disputes may be settled during the course of negotiations and litigation or eventually by a judge or registrar after a full trial of the facts.

The distinction between civil and criminal matters is not precise. Courts may be classified as criminal courts and civil courts, but in England and Wales and Northern Ireland magistrates' courts have both a civil and criminal jurisdiction. Conduct may amount to both a civil and criminal wrong. However the court of trial and the rules of procedure and evidence will usually differ in civil and criminal cases.

Civil remedies and the criminal process are being used together to deal with social problems. The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 introduces an anti-social behaviour order, which is a civil order designed to prevent continued criminal and sub-criminal anti-social acts. Breach of this civil order constitutes a criminal offence. Other recent examples of this overlap are orders relating to protection from harassment, and sex offenders orders, designed to prevent behaviour by sex offenders that poses a serious risk to the public.