Criminal Motivations specifically examines the motivations of those committing a crime. The work directly approaches the topic by reviewing various motivational typologies and frameworks rather than addressing the topic indirectly, as other works do.

While various contributions to motivation are discussed, the book maintains the focus on the physical and psychological needs that drive and guide behavior. These topics have been addressed in other works on psychological aspects of criminality, however few include the motivations for offending as a central focus. The individual subjects covered are assembled to "tell a story" of motive in a linear and comprehensive fashion from the development of motive right through to individual motivational typologies used to understand motive in crime types and individual crimes.

This volume serves as a reference to professionals in a variety of disciplines and a manual of instruction to university students at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.