recidivist

/ri'sidivist/
Học thuật
Thân thiện
recidivist

A judge sentences a repeat offender who is a known recidivist.

Definition
  1. Noun:
    • A person who relapses into previous undesirable patterns of behavior: A recidivist is someone who returns to a previous, typically criminal or antisocial, pattern of behavior after having stopped it for a period.
    • A habitual criminal: Specifically, a recidivist is a person who is repeatedly arrested or convicted for criminal offenses, often for the same type of crime.
Usage Examples
  • Noun:
    • The judge gave the recidivist a longer sentence due to his history of repeat offenses.
    • Rehabilitation programs aim to reduce the number of recidivists returning to prison.
    • He was labeled a recidivist after his third arrest for theft.
Advanced Usage
  • Legal and Criminological Context: The term is most formally used in legal, judicial, and sociological discussions about crime and punishment.
    • The study focused on the factors that contribute to an offender becoming a recidivist.
  • Figurative Use: While less common, it can be used metaphorically to describe someone who repeatedly falls back into any negative habit.
    • When it comes to dieting, I'm a total recidivist—I always go back to eating junk food.
Variants and Related Words
  • Recidivism (n): The act of relapsing into a previous condition or pattern of behavior, especially criminal behavior.
    • The state's primary goal is to lower its recidivism rate.
  • Recidivate (v): To relapse into a previous pattern of behavior, especially criminal conduct. (This verb is formal and less common.)
    • Without proper support, many offenders recidivate.
Synonyms
  • Repeat offender: A person who has been convicted of a crime on more than one occasion.
  • Habitual criminal: A person who makes a career of crime or is persistently involved in criminal activity.
  • Backslider: A person who reverts to bad habits or previous undesirable behavior. (This is more general and less legally specific.)
Related Phrases
  • Chronic offender: Similar to "habitual criminal," emphasizing persistent criminal behavior.
  • Career criminal: A person for whom criminal activity is a primary livelihood.
Related Idioms
  • "Back to old tricks": This informal idiom describes behavior similar to a recidivist's, meaning to return to previous, often deceptive or negative, habits.
    • He promised to change, but he's back to his old tricks.
recidivist

A judge sentences a repeat offender who is a known recidivist.

Noun
  1. someone who lapses into previous undesirable patterns of behavior
  2. someone who is repeatedly arrested for criminal behavior (especially for the same criminal behavior)

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