犯罪意图（mens rea）又称为犯罪心理，是英美法系的主观构成要件。“没有犯罪意图的行为，不能构成犯罪”。这是英美刑法的一条原则，它充分体现了犯罪意图在构成犯罪中的重要意义。犯罪意图的内容指在被指控的犯罪定义中有明显或默示规定所要求的那种心理状态。从犯罪意图的含义上来看，相当于大陆法系中的罪过形式。

在普通法上，犯罪心态与犯罪行为〔actus reus〕是犯罪主客观方面的两个基本要素。犯罪心态指行为人在实施社会危害行为时应受社会谴责的心理状态，包括蓄意〔intention〕、明知〔knowledge〕、轻率〔recklessness〕和疏忽〔negligence〕。

Specific intent，翻译为“特定意图；特定故意” The intent to accomplish the precise criminal act that one is later charged with. At common law the specific-intent crimes were robbery assault larceny burglary forgery, false pretenses, embezzlement，attempt，solicitation and conspiracy. 在普通法中，特定意图犯罪是抢劫、殴打、盗窃、入室盗窃、伪造、诈骗、侵占、犯罪未遂、教唆和共谋。

General intent 翻译为“概括意图；一般蓄意”Defendant must be aware of his actions and any attendant circumstances 被告必须知道其行为以及任何伴随情况。（注:概括意图是绝大多数犯罪的主观构成要件。例如，在非法拘禁罪( false imprisonment)中，被告必须知道他在限制他人人身自由，并且这种拘禁并无法律授权，亦未得到被拘禁人的有效同意。)

参考双语例句：

According to David Lanham3 , four aspects of the law of bribery needed to be examined in dealing with the common law offence. These include : the position of the person bribed; the nature of the reward (e.g. the distinction between a bribe and a treat); the mens rea of bribery (i.e. the mental element in bribery) and the problem of mutuality (i.e. whether the innocent intent on the part of one party may provide a defence to the other even if the latter has a guilty intent).

根据David Lanham3的说法，在处理普通法罪行时，须考虑与贿赂有关的四个法律层面，包括受贿者的职位；报酬的性质(例如贿赂与款待的区别)；贿赂的犯罪意图(即贿赂的精神部分)；以及相互性的问题(即其中一方并无犯罪的意图这一点可否作为另一方的抗辩理由，即使后者有犯罪的意图)。

While it was indicated that a general, if not a specific, level of intent, based on a factual and legal assessment, should be required in that regard, the view was also expressed that it would be difficult to provide evidence of specific intent on the part of a member to circumvent obligations to using the authority of the organization.

有人指出，在这方面应当以事实和法定的评估为依据，规定一般的甚至特定的意图，但也有人认为很难提供特定的意图证据，证明一个成员利用组织的权限规避其义务。

This suggests that the mens rea for an attempt to commit a common law offence follows the common law requirement of specific intent, while an attempt to commit a statutory offence requires proof of the intention that would accompany the completed crime.

这显示对意图犯普通法罪行的有关犯罪意图的规定，是依循普通法中有关须有特别意图的规定，而意图犯成文法罪行，则须证明有完成该罪的意图。