Journal Policies

Peer Review Process

SACQ uses double-blind peer review, which means that the identities of both the author and the reviewer are concealed from one another, throughout the review process.  

To facilitate this, authors need to ensure that their manuscripts are prepared in a way that does not give away their identity. 

 

Publishing schedule

South African Crime Quarterly publishes items as soon as they are ready by adding them to the current issue’s table of contents. Such articles are in their final form and may be cited by using their article number or DOI. There is usually one issue per annum and issues are numbered.

Issues that have not yet been finalised are indicated as still in progress.

 

Ethics and malpractice statement

As part of fulfilling the University of South Africa's vision of being "the African university shaping futures in the service of humanity" the vision of Unisa Press Journals is to "publish with integrity" and, as such, Unisa Press Journals would like all parties involved in the publication process to adhere to the expected ethical behaviour set out in this ethics statement.

1. Responsibilities of the Publisher and the Institutions and/or Societies on Behalf of Which It Publishes

Unisa Press Journals and the institutions and/or societies on behalf of which it publishes shall ensure that:

1.1.  Good practice is maintained to the standards set out in this statement.

1.2.  Collaborations with other publishers and industry associations adhere to standards for best practices on ethical matters, errors and retractions.

1.3.  The publisher's address and contact details are published in all journals and on these journals' websites.

1.4.  Guidelines on how the review process works are published on all journals' websites.

1.5.  Journals publish guidance on what is expected from reviewers.

1.6.  Journals publish guidance on what is expected from authors.

1.7.  Journals have properly functioning editorial boards and international advisory boards.

2. Responsibilities of Editorial Boards

A properly functioning editorial board of a journal is of vital importance to ensure that the journals are governed efficiently. The board is responsible to ensure that the requirements for journals to be accredited by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) are adhered to.

Editorial boards need to:

2.1.  Meet regularly and be actively involved in the editorial management of the journal.

2.2.  Have terms of reference.

2.3.  Keep minutes of their meetings.

2.4.  Be comprised of members from beyond a single institution, and with more than two-thirds of the editorial board members beyond a single institution.

2.5.  Be reflective of expertise in the relevant subject area.

2.6.  Ensure that the names, titles and affiliation of board members are published in the journal and on the journals' website.

2.7.  Ensure that all board members serve for a clearly defined term, after which they may be re-elected in order to remain on the board.

2.8.  Ensure that their journal has a mechanism for authors to appeal against editorial decisions. This should be managed by the editorial board and not the editor.

2.9.  Appoint the academic editor of the journal

3. International Advisory Boards

This journal, just like any other, does boast a vibrant team of international advisory board, which advises the editorial board and the editor on the academic standard of the journal. This is a critical part of our editorial component as it helps the journal to foster excellence in scholarship. 

4. Responsibilities of Academic Editors

Academic Editors should:

4.1.  Execute their duties in an objective and fair way without discriminating on the basis of ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religious or political affiliation or sexual orientation of authors or reviewers.

4.2.  Ensure that articles include English abstracts if their language of publication is not English.

4.3.  Ensure that their journal uses the double blind peer review method, where the identities of authors and reviewers are not known to each other.

4.4.  Pursue suspected cases of misconduct and not just simply reject articles that raise suspicion.

4.5.  Give authors an opportunity to respond to any complaints and, if they are not satisfied, ask the authors' employers to investigate. Editors should persist until they obtain a resolution to the problem in question.

4.6.  Follow reasonable procedures when complaints of conflict of interest or of an ethical nature arise, and follow the procedures of the society or institution which owns the journal, where appropriate, to resolve the complaint. Journals owned by Unisa need to follow the guidelines set out in the relevant Unisa policies.

4.7.  Keep all documentation relating to the investigation of a complaint.

4.8.  Correct any inaccuracy or misleading statement that has been published in order to maintain the integrity of the academic record. They have to publish errata, corrigenda or even retract articles if need be.

4.9.  Make sure their journals comply with all the requirements of the Department: Higher Education and Training's Research Outputs Policy (2015)

5. Responsibilities of Peer Reviewers

 Reviewers should:

5.1.  Maintain the confidentiality of all information supplied by the editor.

5.2.  Review each manuscript objectively, in a timely manner, contribute to the decision-making process regarding publication of articles, and assist in improving the quality of the manuscript.

5.3.  Alert the editor to any suspected plagiarism or substantially similar content.

5.4.  Keep the integrity of the double blind peer review intact by ensuring they stay anonymous in their review reports.

5.5.  Be aware of any potential conflict of interest, and decline the review on those grounds.

6. Authors' responsibilities

 Authors should:

6.1.  Declare any real or potential conflict of interest regarding the research and the publication process.

6.2.  Confirm that each submission has not been previously published and that it is not under consideration by another journal.

6.3.  Confirm that the work in submission is original, and acknowledge and cite content from other sources.

6.4.  Confirm that they have obtained permission to reproduce any content that is not theirs.

6.5.  Notify the journal editor or publisher immediately if a significant error in their publication comes to light, and should cooperate with the editor and publisher if it is necessary to retract the article or to publish an erratum, addendum or corrigendum notice.

6.6.  Maintain accurate records of data associated with their submission, and should grant access to these data if reasonably requested. Where allowed and where appropriate, authors should deposit this data in a suitable repository or storage for sharing and further use.

6.7.  Ensure that any studies involving human or animal subjects conform to local, national and international laws and requirements. Authors should obtain express permission from human subjects and respect their privacy.

6.8.  Be aware that online originality checking will be conducted to protect the integrity of the journal.

7. Misconduct

Misconduct and unethical behaviour may be identified and brought to the attention of the editor and publisher at any time, by anyone. Sufficient evidence should be provided in writing by any complainant when informing the editor or publisher for an investigation to be initiated. All allegations should be taken seriously and must be treated appropriately. Those who report such behaviour in good faith must be protected in accordance with relevant Unisa policies and procedures. When misconduct or unethical behaviour is confirmed appropriate actions should be taken timeously, including correcting the research record (Singapore Statement, 2010).

 

Authorship Criteria

SACQ is committed to ensuring transparency and integrity in the attribution of scholarly work. To qualify for authorship, an individual must meet all of the following criteria:

1. Substantial contribution to the conception or design of the study; the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data; or the drafting of the manuscript.
2. Critical review and revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content.
3. Approval of the final version of the manuscript prior to submission and publication.
4. Accountability for their contribution and willingness to assist in resolving questions relating to the accuracy or integrity of the work.

Individuals who do not meet all of these criteria should not be listed as authors but may be acknowledged for their contributions.

Corresponding Author

The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that all listed authors meet the authorship criteria, have approved the final manuscript, and agree to its submission.

Changes to Authorship

Requests to add, remove, or reorder authors after submission must be made in writing to the editor and must include the agreement of all authors. Authorship changes after publication will be considered only in exceptional circumstances and may require the publication of a correction notice.

 

Complaints and Appeals

The South African Crime Quarterly (SACQ) is committed to fair and transparent editorial processes. Complaints relating to editorial decisions, peer review, publication ethics, or journal procedures should be submitted in writing to the Editorial Office. Appeals against editorial decisions will be considered by the Editorial Board, who may seek additional independent advice where appropriate. All complaints and appeals will be handled impartially, confidentially, and in accordance with the principles of good scholarly publishing practice.

 

Conflicts of Interest and Competing Interests

Authors, editors, and reviewers are required to disclose any financial, professional, institutional, or personal relationships that could influence, or reasonably be perceived to influence, the research, peer review, or publication process. All declared conflicts of interest will be assessed by the journal and managed in a transparent manner to maintain the integrity and impartiality of the editorial process.

 

Data Sharing and Reproducibility

The South African Crime Quarterly (SACQ) supports transparency and reproducibility in research. Authors are encouraged to make the data, materials, and methods underlying their findings available where appropriate and ethically permissible. Authors are further encouraged to deposit research data in recognised and trusted data repositories to promote accessibility, verification, and re-use of research outputs. Where data cannot be shared, authors should provide a brief explanation. The availability of data will be considered in accordance with disciplinary norms, legal requirements, and ethical considerations.

 

Ethical Oversight

The South African Crime Quarterly (SACQ) is committed to maintaining high standards of research and publication ethics. Authors are expected to comply with all applicable ethical, legal, and institutional requirements relating to their research, including obtaining ethics approval where required. The journal may request evidence of ethical clearance and reserves the right to reject or withdraw manuscripts where ethical concerns are identified. Allegations of unethical conduct will be investigated and addressed in accordance with recognised principles of publication ethics.

 

Intellectual Property

Authors retain copyright in their work unless otherwise agreed. By submitting and publishing in the South African Crime Quarterly (SACQ), authors grant the journal and Unisa Press the right to publish, distribute, and preserve the published content. Licensing and copyright arrangements are clearly stated on the journal website and in the published article. For Open Access articles, the applicable Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) licence will apply.

 

Post-Publication Discussions and Corrections

The South African Crime Quarterly (SACQ) supports the integrity of the scholarly record and provides mechanisms for post-publication discussion and correction where necessary. Authors, readers, and other stakeholders may notify the journal of errors, concerns, or potential issues relating to published content. Where warranted, the journal may publish corrections, corrigenda, expressions of concern, or retractions in accordance with established publication ethics and best practice.

 

Process for identification of and dealing with allegations of research misconduct

Misconduct and unethical behaviour may be identified and brought to the attention of the editor and publisher at any time, by anyone. Sufficient evidence should be provided in writing by any complainant when informing the editor or publisher for an investigation to be initiated. All allegations should be taken seriously and must be treated appropriately. Those who report such behaviour in good faith must be protected in accordance with relevant Unisa policies and procedures. When misconduct or unethical behaviour is confirmed appropriate actions should be taken timeously, including correcting the research record (Singapore Statement, 2010).

 

Copyright and licensing information

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

1. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).

 

Author fees

In order to finance open access, Unisa Press requires authors of accepted articles to pay article processing charges (APCs). APCs are payable when the article has been accepted for publication and when an invoice has been delivered. APCs are used to cover all costs related to language editing, publishing, online hosting, and the archiving of each article.

The current rate is RR9,100 per article. These charges are reviewed annually.

The submitting author is responsible for the payment of the APC, which must be confirmed at the time of submission. All amounts are due within 30 days from invoicing. The article will only be published once full payment has been received.

Since SACQ encourages researchers from marginalised groups and communities to submit articles, authors could apply to be exempted from the APCs. Since each application will be considered on its own merit, a motivation needs to be provided. Send the application to the Chief Editor when submitting your article. No author would be discriminated against in any way when exemption from the APCs is granted.

 

Access

This journal provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge.

Authors keep the copyright of their manuscripts under a Creative Commons licence: CC BY SA.

 

Archiving

South African Crime Quarterly uses the PKP preservation network.

 

Ownership and Management

The South African Crime Quarterly (SACQ) is owned by the University of South Africa (Unisa). Editorial and academic management of the journal resides with the Unisa College of Law. The journal is published by Unisa Press, which is responsible for the publication process, dissemination, and management of the journal platform.

 

Revenue Sources, Open Access and Editorial Independence

The South African Crime Quarterly (SACQ) operates under a gold open access model. Articles are openly accessible upon payment of an Article Processing Charge (APC).

The journal receives institutional support from the University of South Africa (Unisa) and is published by Unisa Press. Editorial decisions are made independently of the journal's revenue sources and are based solely on the scholarly merit, originality, quality, and relevance of submitted manuscripts. The payment of an APC, or an author's ability or inability to pay an APC, does not influence peer review, editorial assessment, acceptance, or publication decisions.

Articles are published under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) licence, which permits sharing and adaptation of the work provided appropriate attribution is given and any derivative works are distributed under the same licence terms.

 

Advertising Policy

Advertising associated with the South African Crime Quarterly (SACQ) is administered by Unisa Press. Decisions regarding the acceptance of advertisements are made solely by Unisa Press and are independent of the journal's editorial activities. Advertisements may be displayed randomly on the journal platform and are clearly distinguished from editorial and scholarly content.

Advertising does not influence editorial decision-making, peer review, manuscript acceptance, or publication decisions. The journal does not accept advertisements that may compromise its academic integrity, independence, or reputation.

 

Direct Marketing Policy

The South African Crime Quarterly (SACQ) and Unisa Press are committed to ensuring that any direct marketing or manuscript solicitation activities are conducted in a professional, ethical, and transparent manner. Communications with prospective authors, reviewers, and readers are relevant, targeted, and intended to support the journal's scholarly objectives.