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18 American J. Crim. Just. v (1994)

handle is hein.journals/acnjrlocm18 and id is 1 raw text is: FROM THE EDITOR This is the first issue of theAmerican Journal Of Criminal Justice under my editorship. As is customary with inaugural issues, I wanted to set out my editorial philosophy and aspirations for the next three years. It should not surprise those of you who know me that quality is my overriding concern for the journal. Fortunately, I inherit theAmerican JournalofCriminalJustice as a recognized source of knowledge in the discipline due to the talent and dedication of my predecessors. It is my intent to capitalize on the existing strengths of the journal and propel it to the highest possible levels of acceptability and respectability. I have spent considerable time reflecting on the issues that seem to concern authors. As an author, I find it terribly frustrating to submit a manuscript and then wait months to receive a decision, or to receive comments from reviewers that provide little or no guidance on how to improve my work. Therefore, I will strive to make editorial decisions within a reasonable time frame (in most cases, 60 days from submission) and will vie for the best possible reviewers. My definition of best reviewers includes not only recognition as being knowledgeable about a particular subject, but equally important, as having the ability to provide substantive comments and the willingness to do so in a timely fashion. Therefore, be forewarned! No one who publishes and who has a reputation as a good reviewer is immune from being asked to provide insightful commentary on manuscripts. Raising the visibility of the American Journal of Criminal Justice is also a high priority. I have taken a threefold approach to this problem. First, I have increased the number of sources where the journal is abstracted or indexed. Anyone interested in a particular subject will have access to our future publications in all the major social science abstracts including some international sources. Next, I have broadened the editorial board to include scholars with diverse research interests and abilities. Finally, I have assumed a proactive stance with regard to soliciting manuscripts from recognized scholars. This last tactic also reflects my vision of the role of the journal in the discipline. It is my belief that the American Journal ofCriminal Justice should reflect certain trends within the discipline. One easily recognizable trend is that we are moving away from merely describing a particular phenomenon and are now moving inexorably toward explaining crime, criminality, and the functions of the criminal justice system. Therefore, you may expect more articles that test various types of theories. This philosophy should not be interpreted as one that excludes any category of research (descriptive, quantitative, historical, etc.), but rather should be construed as one that endorses and recognizes the empirical direction of the discipline. It is also my belief that the American Journal of Criminal Justice should influence certain trends within the discipline. This goal may be achieved in one of v