Journal profile · CRIMINOLOGY & PENOLOGY
American Journal of Criminal Justice
ISSN 1066-2316 · eISSN 1936-1351 · Springer Nature · 6 issues per year
American Journal of Criminal Justice: CAS Zone 3 · Sociology (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 1.75; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,090; median 142 days to acceptance (59 articles, last 24 months); 88 articles in 2025; indexed in SSCI and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
American Journal of Criminal Justice is published by Springer Nature and is in Zone 3 of Sociology in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Crime Patterns and Interventions, Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis and Psychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual Offending, together about 51.1% of its articles. Its main subfields are Sociology and Political Science. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
The American Journal of Criminal Justice, the official journal of the Southern Criminal Justice Association, is a peer reviewed publication; manuscripts go through a blind review process. The focus of the Journal is on a wide array of criminal justice topics and issues. Some of these concerns include items pertaining to the criminal justice process, the formal and informal interplay between system components, problems and solutions experienced by various segments, innovative practices, policy development and implementation, evaluative research, the players engaged in these enterprises, and a wide assortment of other related interests. The American Journal of Criminal Justice publishes original articles that utilize a broad range of methodologies and perspectives when examining crime, law, and criminal justice processing.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): CRIMINOLOGY & PENOLOGY
Editor-in-chief J.C. BarnesPublisher website
Editorial board by country: none in mainland China; most named United States 46, Germany 1, Canada 1 (48 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Crime Patterns and InterventionsSocial Sciences23.7%
- Criminal Justice and Corrections AnalysisSocial Sciences19.6%
- Psychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual OffendingPsychology7.9%
- Policing Practices and PerceptionsSocial Sciences6.7%
- Homelessness and Social IssuesHealth Professions5.3%
- Crime, Illicit Activities, and GovernanceSocial Sciences3.9%
- Gun Ownership and Violence ResearchSocial Sciences3.8%
- Sexual Assault and Victimization StudiesSocial Sciences2.9%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Sociology Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Sociology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Criminology & Penology | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Sociology Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Sociology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Criminology & Penology | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Sociology Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Sociology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Criminology & Penology | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SSCIScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
SCIEPsycINFOCurrent ContentsPublisher website
Other: Google Scholar, EBSCO, ProQuest, Dimensions, CNKI, Baidu, Naver, OCLC, Portico, CLOCKSS
As the journal's website lists them, not checked against each database; for Web of Science editions the records above apply.
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 1.75LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 1.7Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 3.6Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 4.1LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.79LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.5LetPub ·
- h-index
- 72OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 607OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 1.25OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 0%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 36.24%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 86LetPub ·
- Articles per year (publisher)
- 2,025Publisher website ·
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 311,700Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 1,490 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 71 | 42 | 17 |
| 2025 | 88 | 43 | 118 |
| 2024 | 35 | 11 | 107 |
| 2023 | 29 | 4 | 199 |
| 2022 | 58 | 21 | 538 |
| 2021 | 75 | 19 | 1,111 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with Crossref · to
142 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 110 days – 186 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 19 days (103 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 165 days
- Sample
- 59 articles with submission and acceptance dates (167 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Submission to first decision
- 26 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Double anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 3,090 / EUR 2,490 / GBP 2,190 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare4 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- 150–250 words
- Keywords
- ≥ 4
- Reference style
- APA
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
Article types accepted3
- editorialWe are proud to invite submissions in the format of the journal's newest article type: the short report. Short reports will provide readers with a brief study t…Length not stated
- reviewWe are proud to invite submissions in the format of the journal's newest article type: the short report. Short reports will provide readers with a brief study t…Length not stated
- short reportWe are proud to invite submissions in the format of the journal's newest article type: the short report.Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Trial registration / reporting guidelines
- AI use Generative AI Images
LLM authorship policy Model summary
Please check Springer’s policy on generative AI images and make sure your work adheres to the principles described therein. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Authorship principles
These guidelines describe authorship principles and good authorship practices to which prospective authors should adhere to. Authorship clarified The Journal and Publisher assume all authors agreed with the content and that all gave explicit consent to submit and that they obtained consent from the responsible authorities at the institute/organization where the work has been carried out, before th…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Disclosures and declarations
All authors are requested to include information regarding sources of funding, financial or non-financial interests, study-specific approval by the appropriate ethics committee for research involving humans and/or animals, informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved animals (as appropriate). The decision whether such …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics Compliance with Ethical Standards
Competing interests disclosure Model summary
To ensure objectivity and transparency in research and to ensure that accepted principles of ethical and professional conduct have been followed, authors should include information regarding sources of funding, potential conflicts of interest (financial or non-financial), informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved an…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright Copyright
Open Choice articles do not require transfer of copyright as the copyright remains with the author. In opting for open access, the author(s) agree to publish the article under a Creative Commons license. Details of the OA licences offered to authors can be found on the individual journal website, in the journal's How to publish with us guide. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access publishing
To find out more about publishing your work Open Access in American Journal of Criminal Justice, including information on fees, funding and licences, visit our Open access publishing page. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Double-blind peer review
Double-blind peer review Model summary
This journal follows a double-blind reviewing procedure. This means that the author will remain anonymous to the reviewers throughout peer review. It is the responsibility of the author to anonymize the manuscript and any associated materials. Author names, affiliations and any other potentially identifying information should be removed from the manuscript text and any accompanying files (such as …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Trial registration / reporting guidelines Clinical Trial Registration
The World Health Organization (WHO) definition of a clinical trial is "any research study that prospectively assigns human participants or groups of humans to one or more health-related interventions to evaluate the effects on health outcomes". The WHO defines health interventions as “A health intervention is an act performed for, with or on behalf of a person or population whose purpose is to ass…
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Springer Nature
- Frequency
- 6 issues per year
- ISSN
- 1066-2316
- Electronic ISSN
- 1936-1351
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 51, Issue 4 (August 2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗LetPub
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about American Journal of Criminal Justice
What CAS zone is American Journal of Criminal Justice in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, American Journal of Criminal Justice is in Zone 3 of Sociology, and in Zone 3 of the minor category Criminology & Penology. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 2 of Sociology. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of American Journal of Criminal Justice?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 1.75; CiteScore 4.1, h-index 72.
How long does peer review take at American Journal of Criminal Justice?
Based on the dates recorded on 59 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 142 days (interquartile range 110–186 days). Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of American Journal of Criminal Justice?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: 150–250 words; Keywords: ≥ 4; Reference style: APA; Suggested reviewers: Optional. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of American Journal of Criminal Justice based?
Of the 48 board members whose country the journal's board page names, none are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (46), Germany (1) and Canada (1). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index American Journal of Criminal Justice?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, American Journal of Criminal Justice is indexed in SSCI and Scopus. The journal's website also lists SCIE, PsycINFO and Current Contents; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is American Journal of Criminal Justice open access, and what is the APC?
American Journal of Criminal Justice is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,090.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, OpenAlex, Publisher website; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .