In criminal law, which term signifies a person's previous conduct or pattern?

The term that signifies a person's previous conduct or pattern is "modus operandi." This term is commonly used in criminal investigations to refer to the method or pattern of behavior that individuals exhibit while committing crimes. It captures the signature style or techniques that a criminal uses repeatedly, which can be informative in profiling the criminal and predicting future behavior.

Understanding the modus operandi is crucial for law enforcement as it helps in identifying suspects who may have committed similar crimes in the past and can assist in the development of leads during an investigation. The concept underscores the idea that criminals often rely on familiar tactics that have worked for them in previous offenses, providing investigators with a framework to connect different crimes and potentially link them to the same perpetrator.

In contrast, the other terms may describe aspects of criminal behavior or investigative processes but do not specifically refer to a person's established pattern. "Evidence" pertains to the proof presented in a case, "conduct" refers more broadly to actions, and "criminal profile" involves a combination of behavioral traits and characteristics rather than a specific conduct pattern.