Recidivism refers to the tendency of a person to relapse or reoffend after previously engaging in criminal behavior and serving a sentence or undergoing rehabilitation. It is a measure of the rate at which individuals, who have been involved in criminal activities, return to criminal behavior after being released from incarceration or completing a rehabilitation program.
In simple terms, recidivism means going back to committing crimes after having been caught and punished before. It is an important concept in the criminal justice system as it highlights the challenges of preventing repeat offenses and reintegrating offenders into society successfully.