Recidivist
Defined in 2 dictionaries — Ballentine's (1916), Bouvier (1914)
Ballentine's Law Dictionary
James A. Ballentine · 1916
One who has been convicted previously of a similar crime.
Bouvier's Law Dictionary and Concise Encyclopedia
John Bouvier; revised by Francis Rawle · 1914
A habitual criminal. One who makes a trade of crime. Reformation in such cases is rare. Such criminals generally either succumb to tuberculosis or heart disease in prison or end in an asylum. Sometimes attacks of acute mania or melancholia have a good influence upon such persons, but generally after an attack of acute insanity they are found to be still subject to their criminal tendencies. Mc Donald, Criminology, ch. viii. As to cases of innate tendency to particular crimes or special propensities, see id. pt. il. ch. i.-ii.