offender
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offender
A person who has committed one or more criminal acts and can be or has been prosecuted for them legally.
Die Polizei konnte den Straftäter kurz nach der Tat festnehmen.
The police were able to arrest the offender shortly after the crime.
The word is made up of 'Straf-' (from 'die Strafe' (the punishment/penalty)) and 'Täter' (perpetrator). A 'Täter' is someone who commits an act. So a 'Straftäter' (offender) is literally a person who commits a punishable act.
Der Täter wurde wegen seiner Straftat zu einer Geldstrafe verurteilt.
The perpetrator was sentenced to a fine for his criminal offense.
'Straftäter' (offender) is a formal term from legal and official language. It is used mainly in official contexts, such as with the police, in court, or in the news.
In dem Bericht der Polizei wird der Verdächtige als mehrfacher Straftäter beschrieben.
In the police report, the suspect is described as a repeat offender.
Common verbs used with 'Straftäter' (offender) are 'einen Straftäter fassen' (to catch an offender), 'festnehmen' (to arrest), 'verurteilen' (to convict/sentence), or 'überführen' (to prove someone guilty).
Die Polizei hofft, den Straftäter bald fassen zu können.
The police hope to be able to catch the offender soon.
perpetrator / culprit
Both words can refer to a person behind a criminal act. „Der Täter“ emphasizes the person who carried out a specific act. „Der Straftäter“, by contrast, emphasizes the person's status as an offender and can refer to one or more acts. „Täter“ fits a specific act, while „Straftäter“ is more appropriate for the legal classification.
Nach mehreren Verurteilungen gilt der Mann als wiederholter Straftäter.
After several convictions, the man is considered a repeat offender.
Die Polizei konnte den Täter des Einbruchs noch am selben Abend finden.
The police were able to find the perpetrator of the burglary that same evening.
