Complaint & Misconduct Policy
Complaints and Misconduct Policy
The Jurisocial Journal of Criminology and Criminal Justice welcomes complaints and concerns relating to its editorial processes, published content, and publication practices. The journal regards well-founded complaints as an opportunity to identify shortcomings, improve editorial procedures, and maintain high standards of scholarly publishing.
The journal is committed to handling complaints promptly, fairly, transparently, and confidentially, while ensuring that complainants are treated respectfully and without prejudice.
What Constitutes a Complaint?
For the purposes of this policy, a complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction concerning an action, decision, procedure, or conduct for which the Jurisocial Journal of Criminology and Criminal Justice has editorial or publishing responsibility.
A complaint may relate, for example, to:
- Unreasonable or unexplained delays in the editorial or peer-review process;
- Concerns regarding editorial conduct or communication;
- Alleged failures to follow the journal's published policies or procedures;
- Concerns regarding the handling of manuscripts, peer review, or publication decisions;
- Alleged errors or serious problems in published content; or
- Other substantial concerns relating to the journal's editorial or publishing processes.
A disagreement with an editorial decision does not, by itself, constitute a complaint. However, concerns that an editorial decision resulted from a significant procedural failure, conflict of interest, inappropriate conduct, or serious misjudgment may be raised through the complaints process.
Submission and Handling of Complaints
Complaints should be submitted in writing to the journal's editorial office through the official contact details provided on the journal's website. Where appropriate, the complaint should include sufficient information and supporting evidence to enable the journal to understand and investigate the matter.
The journal follows the following procedure:
- Acknowledgement: Complaints will be acknowledged as soon as reasonably practicable.
- Initial Review: The complaint will initially be reviewed by an appropriate member of the editorial team.
- Investigation: Where necessary, the journal will examine relevant records, correspondence, editorial decisions, peer-review reports, and other available evidence.
- Escalation: Where the matter cannot appropriately be resolved by the initial recipient, it will be referred to the Editor-in-Chief or another appropriate senior editorial authority.
- Response: The journal will provide a substantive response as soon as reasonably practicable, taking into account the nature and complexity of the complaint.
- Corrective Action: Where a complaint is found to be justified, the journal will take appropriate corrective action, which may include correcting the record, reviewing an editorial decision or process, issuing an editorial notice, or taking other measures necessary to address the concern.
- Record Keeping: The journal will maintain appropriate records of complaints and their resolution in accordance with applicable confidentiality, privacy, and research-integrity requirements.
Complaints Concerning Editors or Editorial Decisions
Where a complaint concerns the conduct or decision of an editor, the matter will, where practicable, be referred to another appropriate senior editorial authority who is independent of the matter being complained about.
Complaints concerning editorial decisions will be considered only where the complainant identifies a substantive procedural concern, conflict of interest, ethical issue, or other significant circumstance that may have affected the fairness or integrity of the decision.
The journal does not normally reconsider editorial decisions solely because an author disagrees with the academic assessment or outcome.
Complaints Concerning Published Content
Concerns regarding published articles, including allegations of plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, undisclosed conflicts of interest, authorship problems, ethical misconduct, or other serious publication concerns, will be handled in accordance with the journal's Research Integrity, Misconduct, Corrections, Retractions, and Content Removal Policy.
Where appropriate, the journal may issue a correction, editorial notice, Expression of Concern, or retraction, depending on the seriousness and nature of the matter.
Confidentiality and Protection Against Retaliation
The journal will handle complaints confidentially to the extent reasonably possible. Information will be shared only with individuals who need it to assess, investigate, or resolve the complaint.
The journal will not tolerate retaliation, intimidation, or discriminatory treatment against individuals who raise complaints in good faith.
Complainants are expected to provide information honestly and responsibly. Deliberately false, malicious, or abusive complaints may be subject to appropriate action.
Anonymous Complaints
The journal may consider anonymous complaints where sufficient information is provided to permit meaningful assessment or investigation. However, the journal may be unable to provide a direct response or undertake a full investigation where the identity of the complainant or relevant supporting information is unavailable.
External Escalation
If a complaint cannot reasonably be resolved through the journal's internal procedures, the complainant may, where appropriate, be advised to seek assistance from the relevant institution, publisher, research organization, professional body, or other competent authority.
The journal will make reasonable efforts to resolve complaints internally and fairly before external escalation is considered.
Commitment to Fair and Transparent Publishing
The Jurisocial Journal of Criminology and Criminal Justice is committed to maintaining a fair, transparent, accountable, and respectful publishing environment. Complaints are treated as an important mechanism for identifying weaknesses in editorial practice and strengthening the quality, integrity, and credibility of the journal.
This policy may be reviewed and updated periodically to reflect developments in scholarly publishing, research integrity, publication ethics, and applicable international standards.
