previous conviction; criminal record
Refers to a past criminal offense or the resulting record. Commonly used in legal and everyday contexts.
Because he has a criminal record, finding a job is difficult.
If you have no previous convictions, you can apply for this job.
万引きをして前科がついた。
He got a criminal record for shoplifting.
People with a criminal record need support to reintegrate into society.
前科 specifically means a criminal conviction record, a narrower and more serious subset of what 前歴 can refer to.
逮捕歴 means a record of having been arrested, whereas 前科 specifically means a past criminal conviction—being arrested does not necessarily result in 前科.
ex-convict; former convict; person with a criminal record
Compound of 前 (previous) and 科 (offense, crime). The kanji 科 originally referred to a category of wrongdoing, later extended to mean a criminal charge or record.