Recidivism Definition

rĭ-sĭdə-vĭzəm

noun

The repeating of or returning to criminal behavior by the same offender or type of offender.

American Heritage

Habitual or chronic relapse, or tendency to relapse, esp. into crime or antisocial behavior.

Webster's New World

Committing new offenses after being punished for a crime.

The increase in criminal activity was attributed to recidivism.

Wiktionary

Synonyms:

Origin of Recidivism

From recidivist one who recidivates from French récidiviste from récidiver to relapse from Medieval Latin recidīvāre from Latin recidīvus falling back from recidere to fall back re- re- cadere to fall kad- in Indo-European roots

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
From Latin recidÄ«vus (“returning, recurring") (compare recidivous) +"Ž -ism.

From Wiktionary

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