The recidivism in Turkish Criminal Law

Legal system aims to maintain public order and individual security through a series of criminal policies addressing recidivist behaviors. In this context, recidivism refers to the re-offending of an individual who has previously been convicted, triggering specific legal consequences not only during sentencing but also at the stage of execution of the punishment. Of particular importance is the special execution regime for recidivists, which involves stricter conditions for conditional release, mandatory supervised liberty, and structured observation reports. This study explores the concept of recidivism in Turkish Criminal Law, its prerequisites, and its outcomes, with a special focus on the provisions of Article 108 of the Law No. 5275 on the Execution of Penal and Security Measures. It provides a doctrinal and practical analysis supported by recent rulings of the Turkish Court of Cassation. Additionally, the research offers a comparative perspective with international legal systems, aiming to assess the compatibility of the Turkish execution system for recidivists with human rights standards.