Final answer:
A habitual offender is someone with a history of repeated offenses, and labeling theory would explain recidivism as the acceptance of a deviant social status. Rehabilitation and the corrections system's role in reducing recidivism are crucial components in addressing habitual offending.
Step-by-step explanation:
A habitual offender is someone that has a history of repeated criminal offenses. In the context of the provided information and the example of a convicted sexual offender being released on parole and then re-arrested for similar crimes, labeling theory would explain this as the offender having been labeled deviant by society and accepting a new master status (option a). This theory posits that once labeled as deviant, individuals may embrace this label, leading to further deviant behavior due to their identity being defined by society's categorization. Rehabilitation, recidivism, and the effectiveness of the corrections system are relevant concepts in this discussion. Various measures such as drug courts and educational programs have been found to reduce recidivism more effectively than punitive measures.