What term describes the likelihood that someone will commit additional offenses after an initial offense?

• A. Recidivism
• B. Rehabilitation
• C. Deterrence
• D. Recurrence

Answer: (A)

Recidivism describes the tendency of a person who has been convicted to reoffend after an initial offense. It’s the specific term used in criminal justice to measure the likelihood of committing additional crimes once someone has already come into contact with the system. This focus on post-offense behavior is why it’s the best fit for describing that likelihood.

Rehabilitation is about helping an offender change so they won’t commit crimes in the future; it’s about the process and outcome of transformation rather than measuring the probability of reoffending. Deterrence refers to the theory that people refrain from crime because of the threat or imposition of punishment. Recurrence is a general term for something happening again and doesn’t carry the specialized criminal-justice context.