The study investigates identified career criminals from the western Pennsylvania area. 'Excitement' in the criminal is a personality factor which distinguishes the criminal from the noncriminal. Isolation and identification of this factor would allow for early identification of predelinquents in an attempt to provide intervention strategies and ameliorate the growing crime problem. Recorded interviews were used to obtain data from the subjects, who were male criminals (not in the adjudicatory process at the time of the interview) between 18 and 30 years old. Protocols were obtained which led to a critical analysis of each meaning unit from the protocols. A reduced fundamental description of excitement in a criminal act shows criminal acts to be teleologically oriented and comprising a victim, an action, and a lived-body experience. Criminal excitement is viewed as a good conscious response to specific illicit activities involving an important other. Criminal activity is seen as consciously sought after, and the sense of excitement motivates criminals to recidivate rather than sociological or psychological factors in their lives. Subject responses carry overtones of sexual implications which reveal themselves in the interviews in clear, concise terms. Figures and about 55 references are provided. The protocols are appended. (Author abstract modified)