Submission guidelines
1. General information
Current Criminology is an international, peer-reviewed journal dedicated to advancing research on crime, justice, and social control in contemporary societies. The journal welcomes high-quality original work from all areas of criminology and criminal justice, as well as interdisciplinary submissions where issues of crime, harm, and social regulation are central.
The journal adheres to the Core Practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and to its own Editorial Policies. Authors are required, upon submission, to confirm that they have read and agree to comply with these Guidelines for Authors and the Editorial Policies.
Current Criminology is an online-only journal. All articles are published open access and are freely available worldwide. There are no print editions.
2. Article types
2.1 Research Articles
A Research Article presents a substantial, novel research study and contributes significantly to the field.
- Word limit: 6,000–8,000 words, including all elements.
- Abstract: less than 250 words.
- Figures and tables: up to 6.
- References: typically up to 50.
- Peer review: double-anonymous.
2.2 Review Articles
Review Articles provide a comprehensive and critical synthesis of existing research.
- Word limit: 3,000–4,000 words.
- References: up to 100.
- Peer review: peer reviewed.
2.3 Comments
Comments offer scholarly perspectives on topical issues.
- Word limit: 1,500–2,000 words.
- References: up to 15.
- Peer review: at the editor’s discretion.
2.4 Perspectives
Perspectives present forward-looking or exploratory discussions.
- Word limit: 3,000–4,000 words.
- Peer review: peer reviewed.
2.5 Communications
Communications are brief articles addressing significant developments.
- Word limit: 1,000–1,500 words.
- Peer review: at the editor’s discretion.
2.6 Book Reviews
Book Reviews provide critical evaluations of recently published books.
- Word limit: up to 1,500 words.
- Peer review: not peer reviewed.
3. CRediT author statement
All submissions must include a CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) Author Statement describing each author’s specific contributions. The statement should be concise and should not exceed 200 words in total.
4. Additional title page instructions
A separate title page must be provided, including the article title, author names (without degrees), author affiliations, and contact details of the corresponding author.
Abstract
All manuscripts must include a structured abstract of less than 250 words, organized into Objectives, Methods, Results, and Conclusions.
Keywords
Please provide 4–6 keywords for indexing purposes.
5. Mathematical notation
Mathematical notation should be typewritten wherever possible. Equations should be numbered consecutively and referred to in the text accordingly.
6. General
The journal uses gender-neutral language whenever appropriate.
7. Editorial procedure
Current Criminology follows a double-anonymous peer-review process. Authors are responsible for anonymizing manuscripts and associated materials.
8. Manuscript submission
Submission implies that the work has not been published previously and is not under consideration elsewhere.
Permissions
Authors wishing to include material previously published elsewhere must obtain permission for online publication and provide evidence upon submission.
9. Title page
The title page should include the title, author names, affiliations, and corresponding author contact details.
10. Text
Manuscripts should be prepared in Word or LaTeX, using standard formatting conventions.
11. References
All references must follow the APA 7th edition reference style. Journal titles should be written in full.
12. Tables and figures
All tables and figures must be cited in the text and accompanied by clear captions.
13. Supplementary information
Supplementary materials may be published online alongside the article.
14. Complaints, appeals, and post-publication discussion
Complaints and appeals should be submitted in writing to the editorial office and will be handled in accordance with COPE guidance.
Post-publication comments or concerns may also be submitted and will be considered appropriately.