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 Corrections Today
Submission Guidelines
Corrections Today is the professional membership publication of the American
Correctional Association. Its international readership includes individuals
involved in every sector of the corrections and criminal justice fields. The
magazine, begun in 1939, currently has a circulation of about 18,000, with a
pass-along readership estimated as high as 75,000.
Our readers are committed to the advancement of the corrections field, and most
play active roles in operating and administrating correctional facilities and
systems. They cut across the spectrum of corrections, from individuals employed
in correctional institutions, community corrections, and probation and parole to
those in juvenile services and academia.
The magazine serves as a forum for presenting and discussing important issues
related to corrections, including the presentation of minority or conflicting
points of view. Its primary purpose is to offer practical information to promote
the development of the field and those working in the field.
AUTHOR GUIDELINES
What kind of articles do we want? We're very open-minded - as long as the
article idea is interesting and relates to corrections. We're interested in a
variety of articles, including service ("how to") pieces, articles outlining new
programs and case studies, and articles on how agencies or systems handle
controversial issues. We also accept opinion pieces for our "Speak Out" column
and personal accounts of on-the-job experiences for "A View From the Line."
We don't like puff pieces or promotional articles. There should be news,
information or an opinion behind the story. Articles, other than opinion or
personal-account pieces, should be written in journalistic style using third
person rather than first person (avoid using "I, we, me, us," etc.). We want
information that can help our readers better understand their profession and the
critical issues they face day to day. For this reason, our policy is that any
article written by a consultant or an employee of a private firm must be
co-authored by a corrections professional or academician. In other words, at
least one author must be a practitioner employed by a public agency or nonprofit
organization or currently working in an adult/juvenile institutional or academic
setting.
If you have not written for us before, send a written query telling us who you
are and what kind of article you wish to submit. We'll let you know if your idea
has possibilities. If you have an article that already is written and conforms
to these guidelines, send the completed manuscript. We'll respond as soon as
possible, usually within eight to 10 weeks.
What Makes a Good CT Article?
Most magazine articles are organized in a simple format. First is the
introduction. This captures the readers' attention and lets them know what the
article will be about. It orients them to time and place and tells them why the
subject is important enough for them to take the time to read about it. An
anecdote or sample situation often is useful in the introduction - it can be a
great way to pique readers' interest.
The middle section of the article develops the topic. This is the meat of the
article and should explain, simply and clearly, the important points you'd like
to make about your topic. When writing this section, try to put yourself in the
readers' shoes. Make sure you're being detailed enough and giving enough
examples to illustrate your point so they clearly understand the program,
strategy or situation you are describing.
The final section is the conclusion. This should restate the main point of the
article and should include any evaluations or recommendations you may have.
Finally, every good magazine article has three main qualities: an interesting
subject, thorough research and reporting, and an organized writing style. Your
article doesn't have to be perfect - our editors will help you enhance it if it
is accepted - but it's up to you to give the article focus.
Suggestions on Style
You can do a number of things to make your article come alive for readers.
First, you should be familiar with the magazine and the type of material we
publish. Reading Corrections Today is the best way to figure out how to make
your article fit our readers' needs.
Second, write clearly. In The Elements of Style, William Strunk makes these
suggestions:
- Use the active rather than passive voice;
- Be specific, concrete and definite;
- Don't overstate; and
- Avoid fancy words and jargon.
Submission Specifics
Corrections Today is a peer-review publication. This means that unsolicited
manuscripts are sent to ACA members with expertise in the article's subject area
for evaluation. Submission guidelines include:
- Manuscript must be typed and double-spaced. If possible, e-mail it to
susanc@aca.org as a Microsoft Word attachment. You can also send a CD with
the article saved in the appropriate format.
- Ideally, articles should be 2,000-2,500 words.
- Include your name, title, agency name, mailing address, e-mail address,
office or home telephone number, and fax number. Also include a resume or
biographical information with your article.
- We must be notified in writing at the time of submission if you are
submitting the article to any other publications. Corrections Today is a
copyrighted magazine that has exclusive rights unless permission is granted
for reprints.
- Please do not format the article, as it will need to be reformatted to
fit the style of the magazine.
- If appropriate, submit charts, graphs or diagrams with the manuscript to
illustrate the topic. These should be sent as separate files in the program
in which they were created.
If Your Article Is Accepted
Articles published in Corrections Today will be edited to conform to AP style,
as well as Corrections Today style. You will be given a chance to review the
edited version of your article before publication. The association reserves the
right to write article headlines and photo captions and to illustrate articles
with art or file photos when more suitable photos are not provided by you.
PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDELINES
Photos are the first thing readers see when they look at a page. Photos draw
attention to the page, leading the eye to the text. Often, important copy goes
unread because a photograph is not striking enough to stop the browsing reader.
Techniques
Two qualities of good photographs are technical excellence and composition of
interesting subject matter. Detail is achieved through proper picture-taking,
sharp focus, correct exposure and a steady hand. Photographs also must have
satisfactory contrast: An ideal print for reproduction should have a full range
of tones - from very white, through many intermediate grays, to deep black.
Be sure to carefully frame your pictures. Define what you want in both the
foreground and background; this is called "composing" the picture. You should be
certain that the subject appears level and then center on the subject. Move in
as close as possible to eliminate nonessential details in the foreground,
background and sides. If your camera takes pictures that are larger in one
dimension than the other, don't forget to turn the camera to see if you can
frame the subject better.
Types of Photos
The best photo is the one that appears unposed. Action photos make excellent
shots. Action does not necessarily refer to physical movement, but rather to the
subjects' keeping busy - their being occupied with something that holds their
attention. This prevents a picture from appearing static.
Take photos showing people, focusing on one or two. Crowd scenes (unless you're
showing prison crowding) make it difficult to see what you're trying to
illustrate. A dramatic close-up photo may do a better job of making a statement.
If your article mentions a particular service, program or case study, photograph
those involved - the employees, participants, family, etc. Familiar scenes can
be photographed from an unusual perspective. For example, a typical counseling
setting might dramatize the situation between a client and a correctional
officer, capturing their facial expressions and body language.
Captions and Credits
Identify the subjects in the photos through a caption. Tell us what's going on
and who's in the photo. Supply the name of the photographer or the person/agency
who supplied the photo to you.
Photo Releases
When photographing inmates, whether juveniles or adults, a release must be
signed by the individual or individuals giving permission for the photo to be
taken for publication. We require a release for any person photographed - even
if the photo shows a back or side view. A copy of an existing release already on
file for a photo you are submitting also is permissible. Securing a release
takes a little extra work, but in the long run, it protects you and Corrections
Today from any liability.
Along with your article, e-mail photos, credit and caption information, and
photo releases to Susan Clayton, managing editor, at susanc@aca.org. Photos
should be high resolution (at least 300 dpi) and sent as .jpg files in separate
attachments.
A NOTE ON REFERENCES
Corrections Today encourages authors to include references with their
articles to allow our readers to do follow-up reading on the subjects. Because
Corrections Today is a magazine and not a scholarly journal per se, we use
endnote references in lieu of parenthetical citations directly within the text.
Please follow the guidelines below when submitting references:
- Reference for a magazine article with one author:
Doe, John. 1997. Rhetoric in contemporary culture. Professional Writing
Quarterly, 40(2): 151-155. [40(2):151-155 refers to volume 40, issue number
2, pages 151 through 155] Lanham, Md.: ACA Press. (November).
- Starting a reference for an article/book with two or more authors:
Doe, John and Jane Doe.
Doe, John, Jane Doe and James Doe.
- Reference for a book:
Doe, John. 1997. Analyzing modern poetry. Attica, N.Y.: Exciting Press.
- Reference for a pamphlet/government document:
Federal Bureau of Prisons. 1988. A report to the attorney general on
disturbances at the federal detention center. Washington, D.C.: U.S.
Government Printing Office. (February).
- Reference for an article in a book with an editor(s):
Doe, Jane. 1997. Perspectives on best practices in corrections. In Exciting
ideas in corrections, ed. James Doe, 545-549. Washington, D.C.: Georgetown
University Press.
Doe, Jane. 1997. Perspectives on best practices in corrections. In Exciting
ideas in corrections, eds. James Doe and Jeffrey Doe, 545-549. Washington,
D.C.: Georgetown University Press.
- Reference for a speech/paper:
Doe, Jeffrey. 1997. How to travel across the country. Paper presented at the
National Travel Symposium, 3-5 April in Pittsburgh, Pa.
If you are unable to attribute
material within your text (i.e., According to researcher Michael Rutter of the
University of Maryland, ... ), and you need to use endnotes:
DO NOT use the following method of citation:
Positive interaction is critical to the development of healthy social
relationships (Rutter, 1995).
DO use the following method of citation:
Positive interaction is critical to the development of healthy social
relationships.1
Please DO NOT use the endnote function in Word to create your
endnotes. Instead use the superscript function to insert the endnote number into
the text and create an endnote list at the end of the article with the
corresponding information. For example:
1 Rutter, M. 1995. Maternal deprivation reassessed, second edition. New York:
Penguin Books.
Send all submissions to:
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Susan Clayton, MS, Managing
Editor
American Correctional
Association
206 N. Washington St., Suite
200
Alexandria, VA 22314 |
1-800-222-5646, ext. 0190
703-224-0190
Fax: 703-225-0179
E-mail: susanc@aca.org |
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