The purpose of this paper is to clarify the concept of criminal professionalism. What is the essence of this notion? How can we use it in our work of identifying criminal behaviour? It is of particular interest since law enforcement agencies are special state bodies, professional associations, and special individuals who have the specific powers to carry out law enforcement activities. In our view, possession by individuals of specific authority for law enforcement may act as a factor that actively determines the committing of corruption crimes. This makes it relevant to do different types of studies designed to develop an explanatory model that should serve as a base for the legislator and law enforcer. One of the components of this model is the theory of criminal professionalism, by which one can describe, explain, and subsequently predict criminal professionalism as a social phenomenon and the personality of the contemporary criminal.