About the journal

Profile
Historical review
Mision and visión
Editorial philosophy
Focus and scope
Publising entity
Funding model
Editorial process
Copyright and license for publication
Legal deposit
Indexes and directories

Profile

Revista Criminalidad (Crim. Rev.) is a scientific and academic publication of the Criminal Investigation Directorate and INTERPOL (DIJIN) of the National Police of Colombia. It is dedicated to disseminating original research and unpublished works that contribute significant advancements in the fields of criminology and related disciplines.

The primary goal of the journal is to promote the exchange of knowledge and research findings that contribute to the understanding and analysis of criminal phenomena, their causes and consequences, as well as to the improvement of public safety policies and criminal justice. The journal covers a wide range of interdisciplinary approaches and perspectives, including, but not limited to criminology, criminal law, sociology, criminal psychology, victimology, security studies, and forensic sciences.

In this regard, Revista Criminalidad is aimed at both national and international researchers and academics working on relevant studies in criminology and related areas, fostering global scientific collaboration. Moreover, the journal is committed to maintaining high editorial quality standards, subjecting all works to a rigorous double-blind peer review process to ensure the rigor and relevance of the published content.

Revista Criminalidad serves as an excellent platform for disseminating research that not only enriches criminological science but also provides practical solutions and strategies for strengthening justice and security systems in Colombia and around the world.

Historical Review

Revista Criminalidad was founded in 1958 with the initial purpose of presenting statistical figures and detailing national operational activity. Over time, it evolved into a scientific publication of the Criminal Investigation Directorate and INTERPOL (DIJIN) of the National Police of Colombia, establishing itself as a reference for disseminating studies and advances in criminology and related disciplines. It has contributed to the development and deepening of knowledge in these fields, both nationally and internationally.

Initially, Revista Criminalidad was published annually, positioning itself as one of the specialized criminology journals in Colombia. In 2007, the journal adapted its publication frequency, transitioning to a biannual format in response to growing demand and the surge in scientific research in its thematic area. In 2013, the publication frequency was adjusted again to a quarterly format, with issues published in April, August, and December, allowing it to offer more high-quality content to its audience.

A significant milestone in the journal's history occurred in 2004 when it was assigned the ISSN code, enhancing its identification and visibility in the global scientific arena. In 2012, the journal took another step toward internationalization by obtaining a virtual ISSN, making its content digitally accessible to a wider audience.

Over the years, Revista Criminalidad has been included in various academic and scientific reference indexes, consolidating its prestige and influence in the international criminological community. These achievements reflect its commitment to editorial excellence, rigorous peer review processes, and dedication to disseminating research that contributes to understanding and solving issues related to criminality and justice.

Today, Revista Criminalidad remains essential for publishing original research and unpublished works, consolidating itself as a key reference for academics, researchers, and professionals interested in the study of crime.

Mission and vision

Revista Criminalidad aims to promote knowledge and critical reflection on criminology through the publication of rigorous, high-quality studies addressing both the theoretical and empirical development of the discipline. With a multidisciplinary approach, it seeks to disseminate research on crimes and behaviors that affect coexistence in Colombia and other countries worldwide, thus contributing to the analysis and deep understanding of criminality in both national and international contexts.

The vision of Revista Criminalidad is to become an internationally recognized academic journal in the field of criminology, known for its research rigor, commitment to professional ethics, and its contribution to the analysis and debate on criminal phenomena. Through the publication of original research, multidisciplinary studies, and fostering collaboration between national and international experts, Revista Criminalidad aspires to become a key space for the dissemination of open-access knowledge that drives improvements in public policies and a comprehensive understanding of crimes and their impact on society. The commitment to free and open access to scientific information aims to democratize knowledge and promote the global exchange of ideas and innovative solutions to combat criminality.

Editorial philosophy

Revista Criminalidad is founded on the belief that a deep understanding of social facts, criminal behavior, dynamics between victims and offenders, and social control mechanisms—both formal and informal—are essential for generating effective outcomes in decision-making and criminological studies. This perspective is crucial for advancing the understanding of criminality and creating public policies based on evidence.

Objectivity, rigor, and quality of information are core to the editorial work, fostering diversity of thought and constructive debate, always supported by ethical principles and best academic practices. In particular, the journal prioritizes the validity, reliability, and objectivity of statistical information related to crimes and behaviors that threaten social coexistence, as this is a key variable in scientific knowledge production.

The importance of annually publishing the operational results of the National Police of Colombia is also recognized, as this data is an essential component for evaluating the effectiveness of public policies and state interventions in the area of criminality.

The fulfillment of these principles is guaranteed by the knowledge and professional experience of the members of our Scientific Committee and peer reviewers. Revista Criminalidad is aimed at researchers, academics, professionals, and anyone interested in analyzing criminology and related disciplines, with the goal of fostering rigorous and enriching discussions on these topics.

Focus and scope

Revista Criminalidad (Crim. Rev.) is a technical, scientific, and academic interdisciplinary publication whose purpose is to disseminate original, unpublished research that makes significant contributions to criminology and related disciplines. As a publication of the Criminal Investigation Directorate and INTERPOL (DIJIN) of the National Police of Colombia, Revista Criminalidad seeks to promote high-quality criminological research with an emphasis on multidisciplinary approaches that enrich the understanding of criminal phenomena and related public policies. Through its content, the journal offers a platform for disseminating rigorous studies on the dynamics of crimes and state responses to criminality from an international perspective.

Publisher entity

Revista Criminalidad (Crim. Rev.) has been published by the Criminal Investigation Directorate and INTERPOL (DIJIN) of the National Police of Colombia since 1958.

Funding model

The funding for Revista Criminalidad comes from resources managed by the Criminal Investigation Directorate and INTERPOL of the National Police of Colombia, through budget planning conducted by the National Police in coordination with the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Colombia.

Revista Criminalidad may receive donations and sponsorships from individuals and legal entities, as long as they are authorized and comply with the provisions and protocols established by the National Police. However, these contributions will not compromise the journal’s critical autonomy and independence.

Additionally, all editorial management processes of the journal are completely free of charge for authors, including submission, processing, and publication of articles, with no fees charged for these services (no article processing charges (APCs)).

Editorial process

1. Receipt and initial review: all submitted articles will undergo a rigorous evaluation process by external academic peers without exception. The receipt and evaluation of manuscripts does not guarantee publication in the journal.

The selection process begins with a review by the Editorial Committee to ensure the submission complies with the presentation guidelines and aligns with the editorial line of Revista Criminalidad. The author will be notified regarding the acceptance, rejection, or any necessary revisions during this initial phase.

2. Peer review: after confirming the manuscript’s formal compliance and the inclusion of an originality statement, the article will be sent to two peer reviewers specialized in the relevant field of study. The review process will be conducted under the double-blind system, ensuring confidentiality for both authors and reviewers.

The peer reviewers will assess the scientific, methodological, and academic quality of the article and may provide suggestions for its improvement. The Editorial Committee ensures that each evaluation is conducted with strict impartiality and rigor.

3. Additional review: If peer reviewers’ assessments are contradictory, the article will undergo a third evaluation by a third reviewer, whose opinion will be decisive for the final decision. However, the Editorial Committee reserves the right to make the final decision regarding acceptance or rejection based on the comprehensive analysis of all evaluations.

4. Author review: the author must revise and make adjustments based on the suggestions of the peer reviewers and the Editorial Committee, taking into account recommendations to improve the quality of the article. In this phase, constructive dialogue between reviewers and authors will be encouraged to strengthen the research work.

5. Final publication decision: articles will only be considered for publication if they receive a favorable opinion from both peer reviewers and the Editorial Committee. The final acceptance of the article will be based on its scientific quality, relevance, and coherence with the journal’s standards.

6. Duration of the editorial process: the entire process of receipt, evaluation, revisions, and final decision will take approximately eight weeks, though this may vary depending on the complexity of the manuscript and the availability of reviewers.

Copyright and license for publication

All articles submitted to Revista Criminalidad must include the corresponding signed statement of originality by the author(s), granting unlimited authorization, in time, to the Criminal Investigation Directorate and INTERPOL – DIJIN – of the National Police of Colombia, to include the text in Revista Criminalidad, allowing for its reproduction, editing, distribution, display, and communication in the country and abroad by means of print, electronic, Internet in full text, or any other known or yet-to-be-known medium.

In this sense, when there is no contractual agreement between an author and Revista Criminalidad, by default, the copyright (i.e., the right to reproduce the article in other media) will always remain with the editor. The author will never lose authorship or recognition that the article is theirs; however, once submitted to Revista Criminalidad, the article becomes the journal’s property, unless it is rejected during the evaluation process and returned to the author. For this reason, the author cannot submit an article that is already being evaluated or published in another journal.

Therefore, authors agree to transfer publication rights in favor of Revista Criminalidad, in accordance with the terms of the Creative Commons LicenseReconocimiento-NoComercial-SinObrasDerivadas

In this way, authors and readers can copy and disseminate the article in its final published version online by Revista Criminalidad, provided that the author(s) are credited and identified, no commercial use is made of the final published article, and no derivative works or modified versions are created. Revista Criminalidad does not necessarily endorse the opinions expressed by the authors.

Legal deposit

In accordance with Article 213 "Deposit for exchange of publications" of Decree No. 0019 of 2012, Article 7 of Law 44 of 1993, and Article 25 of Decree 460 of 1995, Revista Criminalidad will make a legal deposit at the National Newspaper Archive, the National Library of Colombia, and the Library of the Congress of the Republic.

Revista Criminalidad complies with the legal requirements established in Colombian legislation regarding the legal deposit of periodical publications. In compliance with Law 23 of 1982 on copyright and Law 44 of 1993, as well as the regulations related to intellectual property and copyright in Colombia, all issues of the journal will be duly registered and deposited at the Regional Center for the Promotion of Books in Latin America and the Caribbean (CERLALC) and the National Library of Colombia.

The legal deposit ensures that each published issue is available for public consultation and archived in the official repositories of the country, allowing free access to scientific information and promoting respect for copyright and transparent editorial practices.

Additionally, authors must assign the economic rights of their articles to Revista Criminalidad exclusively for publication, allowing proper registration of the works and their subsequent dissemination on various academic and scientific platforms, always in compliance with open access regulations and respect for intellectual authorship.

Indexes and directories

Revista Criminalidad is committed to the visibility, open access, and quality of the scientific information it publishes. In this regard, it seeks to ensure the inclusion of Revista Criminalidad in the most prestigious indexes and directories that validate the quality and impact of academic and scientific publications.

In accordance with Colombian legislation, particularly Law 23 of 1982 and Law 44 of 1993, as well as policies promoting open access to scientific information, Revista Criminalidad is in the process of being included in major national and international indexes and databases, such as:

National bibliographic index of scientific journals: in compliance with the standards established by the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (Minciencias), the journal seeks inclusion in this index, which facilitates the dissemination of scientific research published in Colombia.

International databases: the journal aims to achieve inclusion in high-impact databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, Latindex, and Redalyc, among others, to facilitate global access to published articles and increase the international visibility of research in criminology and social sciences.

Open Access catalogs: Revista Criminalidad promotes free and open access to its content through open access platforms, ensuring free and transparent access to academic research.

Institutional repository: Articles published in the journal are archived in the institutional repository of the National Police of Colombia for long-term preservation and accessibility.

The goal of including Revista Criminalidad in these indexes and directories is to ensure the quality and visibility of the publications, promoting access to criminological research that is relevant to the academic, research, and professional community.

Currently, the journal is included in the following indexes:

Directories:

Others: