At the beginning of the article, a distinction is made between the intellectual and volitional elements 
of an intentional form of guilt and the conclusion is substantiated that such a division has been known since the time of ancient Roman law. It is argued that the will, which was studied by representatives 
of various sciences, is the basic concept of the volitional element of guilt. The main points of view 
on the concept of will are briefly listed. The relevance of some pre-revolutionary doctrines about the will is emphasized at the present time. The main features characteristic of the will are highlighted and revealed. The main attributes of the will are considered, which include the following characteristics: 
1) freedom of will; 2) orientation of will; 3) willpower; 4) unity of will. It is noted that there 
is no reference to the concept of "volitional element of guilt" in criminal legislation. The features 
of the volitional element of intent in the material and formal elements of crime are revealed. The meaning of the word will in Russian is given. The main stages of the development of desire as a mental process are listed. The main properties of desire are highlighted: 1) awareness; 2) duration; 3) objectivity; 
4) severity; 5) certainty; 6) conditionality; 7) criminal nature; 8) objectification. The statement about why desire excites the human nervous system is substantiated. It is noted that the desired criminal act or 
the desired criminal consequences are not always associated with a positive emotional attitude 
on the part of the perpetrator. The correlation of the object of desire as an element of intent and 
the content of the purpose of the crime is considered. In conclusion, the definition of desire as an element 
of intentional guilt is proposed.