More accurately understanding why individuals engage in IWT and how they rationalise their behaviour will enable government, private sector and civil society actors to respond to and prevent noncompliance with wildlife regulations. Consequently, this research sought to gain deeper insights into the factors that influenced or were used to rationalise an offender’s engagement in IWT. This report forms one part of a wider set of objectives emanating from this research which sought to gain a better understanding of the structure and modus operandi of illicit wildlife trade networks in southern Africa. This report draws on information collected through interviews with convicted offenders imprisoned in 25 of South Africa’s correctional centres for a wildlife related offence. It describes the self-reported demographics of the offenders, the wildlife commodity3 targeted, the offender’s participation in specific roles and the factors that influenced or were used to rationalise the offender's decision to take part in IWT.