also: ぜんかもの
ex-convict; former convict; person with a criminal record
Refers to someone who has a prior criminal conviction. Often carries a social stigma; used in legal, news, and everyday contexts.
He has a criminal record, so finding a job is difficult.
There are organizations that support the reintegration of ex-convicts into society.
犯罪者 is a general term for 'criminal' or 'offender', not necessarily implying a past conviction, whereas 前科者 specifically means someone with a prior conviction.
Standard kanji spelling; the most common written form.
Alternate reading; less common and may carry a slightly rougher or more colloquial nuance.
Compound of 前科 (previous offense) + 者 (person). The reading ぜんかもの uses the native reading もの for 者, which is less common in modern standard Japanese.