Definition
Recidivism is the return to criminal behaviour after a previous conviction or release from custody. It is the headline outcome measure for almost every question in correctional policy: does this sentence work? Does this treatment programme work? Does this risk tool predict accurately? The construct is simple in principle and contentious in practice — exactly what counts as recidivism (re-arrest, re-conviction, re-incarceration) materially changes reported rates.
Re-arrest captures the broadest definition but includes minor and dropped cases; re-conviction filters to substantiated offending but misses unprosecuted offences; re-imprisonment captures only the most serious. Follow-up windows matter too: rates after one year, three years, and five years can differ by a factor of two or more.
Why it matters
Where it shows up
Recidivism rates appear in parole-board deliberations, programme evaluations, sentencing impact assessments, and political debate. Comparing programmes or jurisdictions requires careful attention to the recidivism definition, follow-up window, and population — apples-to-apples comparison is rarer than headlines suggest.