What does reoffender mean?
A reoffender is a person who commits an offence again after an earlier offence, conviction, warning, or sanction. The word is especially common in criminal justice discussions about imprisonment, probation, sentencing, and the prevention of crime. It can also be used more broadly for someone who repeatedly displays disruptive, undesirable, or rule-breaking behaviour. Unlike the general term offender, which describes any person who breaks a rule or commits an offence, reoffender specifically identifies repeated wrongdoing. In legal settings, the word implies prior knowledge of the offending conduct or its consequences, although the legal consequences imposed will depend on the jurisdiction and the nature of the offence.
nounA person who commits an offence again after having previously committed one, especially after being convicted or warned.
- A person who repeats an offence or illegal act, especially after receiving a sanction or warning.
- A person who repeatedly engages in undesirable or disruptive behaviour.
"The court imposed a longer sentence because he was a repeat reoffender."
"The scheme is intended to reduce reoffending among released prisoners."
"Repeated late arrivals made him a reoffender under the school attendance policy."
The regular plural is used for multiple people who have each committed an offence more than once.
"The programme provides support for reoffenders seeking to change their circumstances."
A reoffender is someone for whom the first warning was not enough.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does reoffender come from?
Reoffender was formed in English by combining the prefix re-, meaning again, with offender. Offender itself derives from offend, which ultimately comes from Latin offendere, meaning to strike against or injure. Related words from the Latin root include defendant and defend, although their modern meanings have developed independently.
Related word forms
How reoffender is actually used
The term is especially common in criminal justice, policing, and probation contexts, but it can also be applied more broadly to repeated misconduct. It may sound less formal than recidivist.
Easily confused with reoffender
An offender has committed an offence, whereas a reoffender has committed one on more than one occasion.
Recidivist is chiefly a legal and formal term for someone who repeatedly commits crimes, while reoffender is more widely understandable and can apply beyond criminal law.