Word of the Day
March 11, 2021
Recidivism
The tendency of a convicted criminal to reoffend; the act of relapsing into criminal behavior, especially after punishment or rehabilitation.
From Latin 'recidivus' meaning 'falling back,' derived from 'recidere' (to fall back), combining 're-' (back, again) and 'cadere' (to fall). First used in English in the late 19th century in the context of criminal justice.
Usage Examples
- When criminals face no consequences for their actions, recidivism rates inevitably increase as offenders learn they can continue breaking the law without penalty.
- Effective criminal justice policy must balance rehabilitation with accountability to reduce recidivism.
- The city council studied recidivism data to understand why motor vehicle thefts had increased 70 percent in one year.
From the Show
The concept of recidivism underpinned the March 11, 2021 discussion as Aurora City Councilman Dave Gruber warned that SB 21-062 would enable repeat offenders to continue committing crimes without arrest, creating a cycle of criminal behavior with no meaningful consequences.