ABSTRACT
Explanations of how and why crimes occur can be broadly divided into those that, on the one hand, put the emphasis on processes within the person. These may be aspects of the person’s biological and physiological makeup or more general psychological aspects of the offender, relating to their cognitive processes and personality. The present chapter reviews these individualistic explanations. The second group of explanations – those that look to the interpersonal and social processes of which a person is a part – are dealt with in the next chapter.
