Article processing charge policy

1. Introduction

Current Criminology is an international, online-only, open-access journal. To ensure that all published articles are freely available worldwide, the journal operates under an Article Processing Charge (APC) model.

This document explains the APC structure for Current Criminology, including base rates for different article types, regional adjustments, student discounts, and waiver requests.

2. Base APC rates

Unless otherwise stated, the APC is charged per accepted article (excluding corrections or retractions).

For Current Criminology, the base APC rates are:

These APCs cover standard editorial handling, double-anonymous peer review, copy-editing, typesetting, online publication, and long-term digital preservation.

There is no additional charge for online colour figures, standard article length, or standard supplementary files. In rare cases where special production work is required (e.g., extensive figure redrawing requested by the journal, complex multimedia formatting, or third-party permissions that require paid licences), an additional charge may apply. Any such charge will be quoted in advance, capped at USD 200 per article, and applied only with the author's written agreement. Such charges will never influence editorial or peer-review decisions.

3. Regional adjustments

To promote equitable access to publishing opportunities, Current Criminology offers APC reductions based on the economic status of the corresponding author's country of affiliation.

The journal uses the World Bank country income classifications (Country and Lending Groups) to determine eligibility for regional APC reductions. Classification is based on the corresponding author's country of institutional affiliation and is assessed using the World Bank list in effect at the time of final acceptance.

• High-income economies (World Bank): standard APC, no automatic discount.
• Upper-middle-income economies (World Bank): 30% reduction on the base APC.
• Lower-middle-income economies (World Bank): 50% reduction on the base APC.
• Low-income economies (World Bank): eligible for a full waiver (100% reduction) on the base APC, subject to verification and the absence of dedicated publication funding.

Regional reductions are applied to the base APC for the article type. Authors should indicate their country of affiliation when submitting and may be asked to provide supporting documentation if needed.

For the most recent country classification, authors should consult the World Bank "Country and Lending Groups" list.

4. Discounts for student authors

To support early-career scholarship, Current Criminology offers a student discount for manuscripts where all listed authors are currently enrolled students in higher education (undergraduate, master's, or doctoral programmes) at a recognized institution. The same discount rate applies regardless of the level of study. This discount is available only when the work is not supported by external publication funding (e.g., a grant or institutional APC fund).

Student-only authorship: an additional 30% discount on the APC after any regional reduction has been applied.

To qualify, all listed authors must provide proof of current student status after acceptance.

Acceptable proof includes one of the following:

• A university enrolment certificate confirming current student status.
• A copy of a valid student ID card showing the expiration date.
• An official letter from the university's registrar (or equivalent office), graduate school, or department confirming enrolment.

The Production Editor will contact the corresponding author after acceptance to verify documents before applying the student discount.

5. How discounts are calculated

Discounts are applied sequentially to the base APC:

• Apply any regional reduction.
• Apply the student discount (if eligible) to the reduced amount.

6. Payment, invoicing, and waiver requests

APCs are requested only after a final editorial decision of acceptance. No fees are charged at submission or during peer review. Shortly after acceptance, the Production Editor will issue an invoice to the corresponding author (or the designated billing contact). Payment (or confirmation of an approved waiver/discount) must be received before the article is published. Payment methods (e.g., bank transfer or credit card) are indicated on the invoice. If payment cannot be arranged, authors should contact the Editorial Office promptly to discuss waiver options; inability to pay will not affect editorial decisions, and authors may withdraw the article prior to publication without penalty.

Taxes and invoicing: APC amounts are exclusive of any applicable taxes (e.g., VAT/GST/sales tax). Where required by law, taxes will be added to the invoice based on the payer's location and tax status. Any tax-exemption documentation should be provided to the Production Editor when invoicing is requested.

Refunds and corrections/retractions: APCs are generally non-refundable once an article has been accepted and has entered production. Refunds may be issued in exceptional circumstances (e.g., duplicate payment, cancellation of publication by the journal, or an administrative error that results in failure to publish the article under the selected open-access terms). APCs are not charged for corrections or retractions, and APCs already paid are not refundable in cases of retraction.

The journal recognises that some authors or institutions may face financial constraints. In addition to the regional and student discounts described above, the Editorial Office may consider partial or full waivers on a case-by-case basis, particularly for:

• Authors based in low-income or lower-middle-income economies (World Bank) without institutional support, including where a full waiver is requested.
• Authors with limited or no research funding.
• Invited contributions, at the discretion of the editors.

To apply for a waiver or additional reduction, the corresponding author should submit a short written request explaining:

• The article title and manuscript ID (if available).
• The authors' institutional and country affiliations.
• The availability (or absence) of research or publication funding.
• The level of support requested (partial reduction or full waiver).

Requests should ideally be made at the time of submission or immediately after acceptance. The Editorial Office may request supporting documentation and will communicate the outcome in writing. Waiver and discount decisions do not affect editorial or peer-review decisions.

7. Contact information

For questions about APCs, discounts, or waiver applications, please contact the editorial office: