Reoffending

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act of engaging in illicit activities once more following prior disciplinary measures
2. A recurring cycle of violating the law after serving past sentences or repercussions
3. The process of committing criminal acts again after previously facing legal consequences

Etymology: "Reoffending" is simply "reoffend" with its present participle ending, so the history lies in its two parts. The prefix "re-" comes from Latin, where it meant "back" or "again," and it has been used in English to repeat an action since Middle English. "Offend" entered English through Old French from the Latin "offendere," meaning "to strike against" or "to collide with," a physical sense that gradually shifted toward wronging someone and breaking a rule. Joined together, "re-" and "offend" produce a word meaning to commit an offence once more. Its meaning follows directly from the legal sense of "offence" as a breach of the law, so the criminal-justice use is the same idea applied to a repeated act.

Synonyms: recidivism, reoffense