When asked, “Just what is recidivism?” some might answer, “criminal offenders who repeat criminal offenses.” While the response is a broad, generalized interpretation of the question, various determinants are involved regarding the meaning of recidivism. To provide a more distinct understanding of the subject, Siegel (2017) defines recidivism as, “relapse into criminal behavior after apprehension, conviction, and correction for a previous crime (p. 8). While Siegel’s definition provides clarity, one can also examine various causes that contribute to recidivism rates, as well as, its effect on the legal system. One such examination provided by the United States Sentencing Commission concludes that factors such as criminal history, age, and type
