A repeat offender; one who continues to commit more crimes.

A repeat offender; one who continues to commit more crimes.

• A. Recidivist
• B. Habitual offender
• C. Delinquent
• D. Felon

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is recidivism, which is about repeating criminal behavior after punishment. A person who continually commits crimes is described as a recidivist—the term itself signals that pattern of reoffending. This fits best because it directly naming the behavior: someone who returns to crime after prior offenses. The other terms have nuances that don’t match as neatly. Habitual offender is used in some legal systems to flag multiple prior convictions and often carries penalties tied to that status, but it’s not the standard way to describe someone who keeps reoffending in general. Delinquent usually refers to a juvenile or someone who engages in criminal acts as a pattern in youth, not necessarily into adulthood. Felon classifies the severity of a crime or the status after a felony conviction, but it doesn’t imply repeated offenses.

The main idea here is recidivism, which is about repeating criminal behavior after punishment. A person who continually commits crimes is described as a recidivist—the term itself signals that pattern of reoffending.

This fits best because it directly naming the behavior: someone who returns to crime after prior offenses. The other terms have nuances that don’t match as neatly. Habitual offender is used in some legal systems to flag multiple prior convictions and often carries penalties tied to that status, but it’s not the standard way to describe someone who keeps reoffending in general. Delinquent usually refers to a juvenile or someone who engages in criminal acts as a pattern in youth, not necessarily into adulthood. Felon classifies the severity of a crime or the status after a felony conviction, but it doesn’t imply repeated offenses.