Our Vision

The Journal of Criminal Justice and Law: A Publication of the Law and Public Policy Section of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (JCJL) is a peer-reviewed journal with a focus on both criminal justice and legal issues and their intersection with public policy. The journal publishes articles, essays, and book reviews.

Our values motivate all that we do.

Openness. Information on crime and criminal justice policy should be open and a public commodity. It should not be solely known to academics at institutions that can afford it but rather it should be available to policymakers who make decisions on matters of criminal law and public policy, as well as to academics, students, practitioners, and the general public.

Quality. JCJL is an open access journal and we strive for quality in our publications. We do not equate open access with an absence of academic rigor. All article manuscripts go through an initial editorial review process. Those article manuscripts that the editorial staff view as meritorious of further consideration are then sent out for peer-review. Those manuscripts designated as essays and book reviews are reviewed only by members of the journal’s editorial staff. Pieces that are submitted as an editorial are also only reviewed by members of the editorial staff.

Inclusivity. JCJL was initially developed as an open access journal by Craig Hemmens at Washington State University as a publication to give voice to academics who are knowledgeable in law, public policy, and court systems and practices. When the journal transferred to the University of Houston-Downtown and subsequently became the official journal of the Law and Public Policy Section of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, this vision remained in place. Diverse perspectives about law, public policy, and court systems and practices are welcomed.

Democracy. JCJL is committed to providing an avenue for research and publication as well as meeting academic integrity and upholding the highest academic standards of review. Once an article has been assessed for suitability by the journal internal review process, it will then be sent to multiple double blind peer-reviewers. Authors will be informed within two weeks if the submission has been submitted for peer review. In compliance with standard academic journal review, author submission implies the article has not been submitted to any other journal. In compliance with standard academic journal review, if the author agrees to have the article submitted for peer review the agreement implies that the author will publish with the journal if the article is accepted after the peer review process. 

Essay and book reviews are reviewed by the Editor and the Managing Editor. Where there is consensus that the manuscript should be published, it will be published. When there is a split in the vote, the Editor and Managing Editor will agree on a third reviewer to break the tie.

The journal is published twice a year, issuing a Fall Issue by December and Spring Issue by June of each year. Submissions are accepted on a rolling basis and based on the time a manuscript is accepted and edited for final publishing, the successful article will be placed in the subsequent published journal issue.