Legal Definitions - Recidivism

Recidivism refers to the tendency of an individual to re-offend and be convicted of new crimes after having previously been convicted and served a sentence for a past offense. It measures the rate at which people return to criminal behavior following a period of punishment or rehabilitation.

• Example 1: After serving a two-year prison sentence for grand theft auto, Mark was released. Six months later, he was arrested and convicted again, this time for credit card fraud.

  Explanation: This illustrates recidivism because Mark, having been convicted and served time for one crime, committed and was convicted of a new, different crime (credit card fraud) after his release. His return to criminal activity demonstrates the concept.

• Example 2: Sarah had multiple convictions for shoplifting as a young adult. After her last conviction, she completed a court-mandated rehabilitation program and served a short jail sentence. However, within a year of her release, she was apprehended and convicted for shoplifting again from a different store.

  Explanation: Sarah's repeated convictions for shoplifting, even after serving a sentence and participating in a program, exemplify recidivism. It shows a pattern of returning to criminal behavior despite prior legal consequences and attempts at rehabilitation.

• Example 3: A government study tracking individuals released from a particular state prison found that 45% of them were re-arrested for a new felony offense within three years of their release.

  Explanation: This example demonstrates recidivism on a broader, statistical level. The 45% figure represents the recidivism rate for that group, indicating the proportion of former inmates who returned to criminal activity and faced new charges after their release from prison.