Which term describes categories of individuals committing crimes?

• A. Ripple effect
• B. Decriminalisation
• C. Types of Offender
• D. Social Implications

Answer: (C)

Classifying who commits crimes into groups based on patterns and characteristics is the idea being tested. The term that describes these categories of individuals is Types of Offender. This label covers how criminologists group offenders by factors like the type of crime, age, gender, risk level, or history of offending—such as distinguishing between youth offenders, violent offenders, or persistent offenders. Understanding these categories helps researchers and practitioners identify patterns, allocate resources, and tailor prevention or rehabilitation approaches to different offender profiles.

Ripple effect refers to how the consequences of a crime spread through social systems, not to categorizing offenders. Decriminalisation is about removing criminal penalties for certain acts, again not about offender classification. Social implications concern the wider effects of crime on society, rather than how offenders are grouped.