recidivism
noun
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The re- in recidivism is the same re- in relapse and return, and like those words recidivism is about going back: it’s a tendency to relapse, especially into criminal behavior. Recidivism is a 19th century French borrowing that’s ultimately from a Latin word meaning “to relapse into sin or crime.” In borrowing recidivism, English was itself engaging in a kind of recidivism: the same Latin source of recidivism had been nabbed in the 16th century to form the much less common recidivate, meaning “to fall into or exhibit recidivism.”
Examples of recidivism in a Sentence
John L. Evans Jr, Orlando Sentinel, 7 July 2024
This is notably lower than the nationwide recidivism rate, which RTA estimates is over 60% of people returning to prison within three years of release.
—Arturo Conde, NBC News, 3 July 2024
Other states with clean slate laws have also shown low recidivism rates for beneficiaries of record expungement.
—Jaden Edison, Hartford Courant, 26 Mar. 2024
Second Chance Month is new, but concerns about job prospects, losing the right to vote, and high recidivism rates for the formerly incarcerated are not.
—JSTOR Daily, 24 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for recidivism 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'recidivism.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near recidivism
Cite this Entry
“Recidivism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recidivism. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
recidivism
noun
A. E. Kazdin et al.Legal Definition
recidivism
noun
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