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19 American J. Crim. Just. [i] (1994-1995)

handle is hein.journals/acnjrlocm19 and id is 1 raw text is: FROM THE EDITOR About half way through my tenure as editor, a pattern of submis- sion outcomes has begun to emerge. In response to that perennial question of what does it take to get published, I thought that I would take this opportunity to share with you some of the reasons why the American Journal of Criminal Justice accepts and rejects manuscripts. The motif that has emerged reveals items that can, in many instances, be remedied prior to submitting a manuscript for review. As is shown below in Figure 1, the manuscript rejection rate thus far is approximately 63%. This pattern is shaped by at least two domi- nant factors. The first factor is my editorial philosophy. As I stated in my first issue, as a general rule I intend to publish articles that utilize a broad range of social science methodologies or that are theoretical in nature. On the other hand, I specifically stated that I did not intend to publish law review or criminal justice pedagogical manuscripts. Thus, the modal category of manuscript rejections is that of incongruence be- tween the AJCJ and the focus of the manuscript. Figure 1 Submission Outcomes Rejected 63.1% In Press 16.7% 11.9% Published Under Review The second major factor that affects the review process is structural and can be divided into three components: the selection of the topic; the research design with particular emphasis on the sample; and the writing style and organization of the manuscript. While each of these components contributes to the success or failure of the writing enter-