What does the term "recidivism" mean?

The term "recidivism" specifically refers to the tendency of individuals who have previously been incarcerated to be re-arrested, reconvicted, or returned to prison, particularly after having undergone rehabilitation or serving their sentence. This concept is significant in criminal justice, as it provides insight into the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs and the overall challenges in reducing crime rates. Evaluating recidivism rates helps policymakers and practitioners understand the factors that contribute to repeat offenses and informs strategies for reducing re-offense likelihood among formerly incarcerated individuals.

Other options address related concepts, such as parole, rehabilitation methods, or the classification of new crimes but do not capture the essence of recidivism, which is fundamentally about the cycle of re-offending among those who have faced prior incarceration.