Frequently Asked Questions
(If you have a question not answered below, please feel free to send an e-mail to the editor for inclusion o­n this page.)  editor@apcj.org  

Why a journal in the area of applied psychology and criminal justice?
This was decided after an extensive review of various programs, potential contributors, and academic curriculum. Interestingly, we found that the most frequently identified area of interest and the most frequent academic minor for CJ majors was psychology; and in universities with a CJ program, the most frequently identified minor for psychology majors was criminal justice. Additionally, a review of present criminal justice and psychology publication outlets suggested that this was a strong area.

Must I be a psychologist or criminologist to submit an article to APCJ?
No. APCJ welcomes submissions that explore the social and psychological aspects of human behavior as related to applied societal and criminal justice settings. APCJ takes a broad and inclusive view of applied psychology and criminal justice.

If I register o­n this site will it cost anything?
No. The College of Criminal Justice at Sam Houston State University absorbs all cost associated with this endeavor in order that important information and  research is able to be disseminated to the widest possible audience at no cost to the user.

Why should I register o­n this site? 
Actually, you are not required to register at this time to take advantage of the information provided.  However, everyone is encouraged to register, as this gives us some measure of the usefulness of the site and allows us (if you so choose) to provide you with e-mail alerts when a new issue of the journal has been published. You must register if you choose to submit an article for publication consideration so that we will have all the necessary contact information.  

Does this journal meet the strong academic and peer-reviewed standards of a print journal?
Absolutely.  Of course the quality of the journal does not rest with the medium in which it is presented.  The mission, commitment, and dedication of those who develop and oversee the policies of the journal are what is most important.  I am pleased to say that we have an exceptional Editorial Board and a dedicated Executive Editor that insures the quality of this journal by insisting o­n a rigorous peer-review process before any piece is considered for publication. 

Is this e-journal recognized as an appropriate outlet for academic research? 
Yes.  In fact, that is APCJ's underlying mission. This is a rigorous, peer-reviewed academic journal with an international audience.

Why would it be better to publish my research in this journal?
The decision to publish an article in any journal is a result of many factors; some of them personal, others professional.  The strong advantage to publishing in APCJ is the timeliness of the process. Any article submitted to APCJ will undergo a rigorous review process, as occurs in many other outlets.  O­nly those articles that meet the stringent criteria will be accepted for publication.  However, unlike print journals that are often limited by a maximum page-number-per-issue, an e-journal can include all accepted manuscripts in the next available issue.  As a result, the actual time-to-publication can be substantially reduced.  This means that the article is in print much sooner and is immediately available to the entire academic community. Currently many of the top print journals have a backlog that can result in actual publication delays of up to two years before an accepted piece is finally published.

Is this journal going to be abstracted as are other top journals?
Yes. The site itself will allow you to search and review all articles and abstracts by title, key word, author, etc. Additionally, the journal content is submitted to NCJRS and other similar services.  As this journal is o­nly now emerging o­n the scene, we must establish a publication history to insure adequate abstract coverage.  After publication of the first 2 or 3 issues, we should be primed for inclusion in such areas as CJ Abstracts, Sociological Abstracts, Psyc Info., etc.  Of course, the popularly used search engines such as Google, MSN, Yahoo, etc. will direct those searching for specific topics, authors, or other information to this journal.