Publication Ethics

Asian Journal of Criminal Law and Criminal Justice is a peer-reviewed scholarly journal that upholds ethical standards in all stages of the publication process. This publication ethics statement serves as a guideline for all parties involved in the publication of the journal, including authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher. Asian Journal of Criminal Law and Criminal Justice is committed to maintaining academic integrity, objectivity, and transparency, as well as preventing all forms of publication malpractice, including plagiarism, data fabrication, data falsification, duplicate publication, and undisclosed conflicts of interest.

This publication ethics statement is based on COPE’s Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors and serves as a guideline for all editorial and publication processes in Asian Journal of Criminal Law and Criminal Justice.

Ethical Guidelines for Journal Publication

The publication of articles in a peer-reviewed scholarly journal is an essential part of the development of credible and responsible knowledge. All parties involved in the publication process are required to uphold academic integrity, respect the scholarly process, and support ethical, fair, and transparent publication practices.

Responsibilities of Editors

Editors are responsible for deciding which articles are eligible for publication based on the results of the review process, the academic quality of the manuscript, its relevance to the journal’s focus and scope, and its contribution to the development of criminal law and criminology.

Editors must:

  1. evaluate manuscripts fairly on the basis of their academic merit without discrimination based on race, gender, religion, nationality, ethnicity, or political views of the authors;
  2. maintain the confidentiality of all information related to submitted manuscripts and not disclose such information to any party other than those directly involved in the editorial process;
  3. not use unpublished materials for personal benefit without the written consent of the author;
  4. ensure that each manuscript undergoes an objective, independent, and policy-compliant review process;
  5. take appropriate action where there is suspicion of publication ethics violations, including plagiarism, duplicate publication, citation manipulation, or undisclosed conflicts of interest;
  6. publish clarifications, corrections, or retractions whenever necessary.

Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers assist editors in making editorial decisions by providing scholarly assessments that are objective, constructive, and timely.

Reviewers must:

  1. provide assessments objectively, with clear reasoning and academic justification;
  2. maintain the confidentiality of the manuscripts under review and not use any information contained therein for personal benefit;
  3. inform the editor if there is any indication of plagiarism, duplication, inappropriate citation practices, or other ethical violations;
  4. decline to review a manuscript if there is a conflict of interest with the author, institution, or subject matter of the manuscript;
  5. submit their review in a timely manner, or promptly inform the editor if they are unable to complete the review within the designated timeframe;
  6. respect the principle of double-blind peer review adopted by the journal.

Responsibilities of Authors

Authors must present scholarly work honestly, originally, and responsibly in accordance with accepted standards of academic writing.

Authors must:

  1. present research findings or scholarly analyses accurately, clearly, and without fabrication, falsification, or manipulation of data;
  2. ensure that the submitted manuscript is original, free from plagiarism, and has not been previously published or simultaneously submitted to another journal;
  3. properly acknowledge all sources of ideas, data, or quotations used in the manuscript;
  4. ensure that all parties who have made significant contributions are listed as co-authors, and that no individual who has not made a significant contribution is included as an author;
  5. disclose any conflicts of interest and sources of funding that may influence the results or interpretation of the manuscript;
  6. be willing to provide supporting data if requested by the editor for the purpose of scholarly verification;
  7. promptly notify the editor if they discover a significant error in the manuscript that has been submitted or published so that a correction or retraction may be made.

Responsibilities of the Publisher

The publisher is responsible for ensuring that all publication processes are carried out in accordance with the principles of scholarly publication ethics, academic freedom, and good journal governance.

The publisher must:

  1. support editors and reviewers in carrying out their editorial duties independently;
  2. maintain the integrity of the journal’s scholarly record;
  3. ensure that editorial decisions are not influenced by commercial interests;
  4. assist in resolving alleged publication ethics violations in a proportionate, transparent, and accountable manner;
  5. protect intellectual property rights, copyright, and publication licensing in accordance with the journal’s policies.