Journal of Correctional Health Care
Information for Authors
The only national, peer-reviewed scientific journal to address correctional health care topics, the Journal of Correctional Health Care’s mission is to inform correctional health professionals of trends and developments important to their field. The Journal welcomes original manuscripts that report empirical research findings, review the literature in an area of interest, or qualitatively describe case studies or best practices related to common problems in correctional settings. Also, recent books addressing correctional health or related fields may be reviewed.
Editorial Policies
To ensure that the Journal of Correctional Health Care meets the highest standards, its editorial policies are based on the Editorial Policy Statements approved by the Council of Science Editors. These policies address the following areas:
· Responsibilities and Rights of Editors of Peer-Reviewed Journals (e.g., quality of content; editor responsibilities to authors, readers, and peer reviewers; and editor rights)
· Journal Access to Scientific Data (to aid in evaluation of a manuscript)
· Journal Referral of Possible Misconduct (when concerns arise about possible scientific misconduct)
· Conflicts of Interest and the Peer Review Process (disclosure requirements applying to authors, editors, and peer reviewers)
· Relations Between Editors and Their Publishing or Sponsoring Societies (e.g., the author maintains total responsibility, authority, and accountability for editorial content)
· Responsibilities and Rights of Peer Reviewers
In addition, authors are expected to adhere to Journal policies governing manuscript development, review, and publication. These policies are based on the Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals, promulgated by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. The URMs address the following areas:
· Ethical Considerations in the Conduct and Reporting of Research (e.g., credit for authorship and contributorship; editor roles and editorial freedom; peer review; disclosure of conflicts of interest for authors, editors, and reviewers; privacy and confidentiality of patients/study participants, authors, and reviewers; protection of research subjects)
· Publishing and Editorial Issues Related to Publication in Biomedical Journals (e.g., the obligation to publish negative studies; corrections and retractions; copyright policies; overlapping publication in another journal; publishing correspondence from readers and authors; theme issues and special series; electronic publishing considerations; advertising)
· Manuscript Preparation and Submission (e.g., how to prepare and send the manuscript)
While not all of the CSE policy statements and ICMJE requirements pertain to the Journal, they do address general expectations. Consult the complete policy statements and URMs on the Web at www.councilscienceeditors.org/services and www.icmje.org, respectively. The Journal’s editorial policies and instructions for manuscript preparation and submission also are available online at www.ncchc.org and at http://jchc.sagepub.com.
Authors must submit a statement indicating that the manuscript has not been published previously and will not be submitted to another journal for consideration until after notification is received from the Journal. The editor assumes that articles from a particular institution are submitted with appropriate approval. Authors must disclose real or potential conflicts of interest, including a corporate financial or material support.
Upon acceptance, authors must sign a Publication Agreement and Transfer of Copyright. Lead authors must supply a current curriculum vitae and complete a conflict-of-interest disclosure form.
Review Process
The corresponding author will receive notice after the manuscript is received. Manuscripts are subject to blind peer review by at least two correctional health experts. Authors will be notified of the review process results in 3 to 6 months. All manuscripts will be edited to conform to the Journal’s standards and style.
Manuscript Preparation and Submission
Prepare manuscripts, including references, using the style and standards specified in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th edition. Submit the manuscript as an e-mail attachment or on disk (MS Word software preferred). If submitting hard copy (8½-x-11 paper, double-spaced, single-sided, one-inch margins), send four copies. Limit manuscript length to 15 pages, excluding supporting materials such as figures.
Title page includes names of all authors, their credentials, institutional affiliations, and mailing addresses, as well as the phone numbers and e-mail addresses of the senior and corresponding authors (if not the same). Omit author names from all pages except the title page. A header of no more than four words appears at the top of each page following the title page. Acknowledgments of credit and research support appear in a footnote. Information about conflicts of interest appears on a separate page. A concise, summary abstract of around 120 words precedes the introduction, and is followed by four or five keywords.
Authors must obtain written permission from the copyright owner (usually the publisher) for the use of tables, illustrations, or extensively quoted material that has appeared in another publication. See permission guidelines at www.sagepub.com under Journal Editors/Authors. Such permissions must be sent with the manuscript, and credit must appear in the corresponding legend.
If tables or figures are used, label them using arabic numbers. Indicate in the manuscript the appropriate position for each table or figure and place them at the end of the manuscript. Submit figures in black and white only. For better print quality for images or photographs, please submit high-resolution (minimum 300 dpi) image files in eps, jpg, tiff, or PDF formats.
References listed at the end of the article must be cited in the text, and any reference mentioned in the text must appear in the reference list. References must follow APA style.
Send the manuscript to journal editor John R. Miles, 250 Gatsby Place, Alpharetta, GA 30022;
e-mail journal@ncchc.org; fax (770) 650-5789.
Journal of Correctional Health Care
Checklist for Authors
Letter of submission
Conflict of interest statement, if applicable, from all authors
Original manuscript (four copies if submitted in hard copy)
Title page with author contact information, credentials, affiliations, and acknowledgments
Abstract of 120 words or less, plus keywords
References (APA Style, 5th edition)
Tables with legends (on separate pages)
Figures / illustrations with legends (digital or camera-ready)
Documentation of reprint permission, if applicable; see permission guidelines at www.sagepub.com under Journal Editors/Authors
Transfer of copyright agreement signed by all authors (sent by the editor once the manuscript is accepted)
