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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 07 May 2025
The term “convictional criminal”, which as a vaguely mentioned concept was touched upon as early as in Lombroso’s classification and in Liszt’s typology, may appear as a distorded product of the English language. Although the use of this expression may be open some criticism, it is used here as a tentative terminological solution to the nomenclature of this type of criminal. The conventional ordinary criminal is in most cases involved in crime because of a certain “egoistic” motivation. His criminal behaviour is generally the expression and realization of his will—to whatever biological or sociological limitations his “free will” is submitted—which, in any case, acts in the interest of his personal motives. When the occasional criminal steals a loaf of bread because he is hungry, or thieves a golden ring to satisfy a great desire, or kills another man because he is jealous : this is his personal need, his delire, or his emotion. When the professional criminal burgles a bank, this is for his personal gain. When the psychotic criminal deludedly poisons another person in what he considers as self-defence, this is an interest born of his mental illness.