Chapman Journal of Criminal Justice

NOTE: Effective fall 2010 the Chapman Journal of Criminal Justice is no longer publishing new volumes or accepting new subscriptions.

About the Journal

The Chapman Journal of Criminal Justice is a student-run organization with all management, editorial, and publication control vested in its members. The mission of the Journal is to advance legal thought and knowledge in the field of criminal justice through the publication of a high quality scholarly journal. Founded in 2007 in conjunction with Chapman's new LL.M in Prosecutorial Science program, the Journal publishes articles submitted by professors, judges, and practitioners and hosts an annual symposium on topics of interest to legal scholars and practitioners. Additionally, the Journal publishes the best Notes or Comments written by second-year students and LL.M students. 

The Journal is funded and supported by the California District Attorney's Association and Chapman University School of law faculty and administration. The faculty advisor is Professor Richard Redding.

Manuscript Submissions

The Chapman Journal of Criminal Justice publishes once each year. The Journal accepts submissions from practicing attorneys and academicians throughout the year. Articles are reviewed for timeliness, quality of writing, and topical interest. Citations should conform to The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation (18th Ed. 2005). We regret that once a manuscript is submitted, it cannot be returned. The Journal accepts hard copy or electronic submissions.

Membership

The Journal of Criminal Justice is made up entirely of second- and third-year law students. Based on academic performance in their first year, students are automatically offered staff editorial positions or are invited to participate in the summer write-on competition that is conducted simultaneously with the Chapman Law Review. The Editorial Board is selected from within the membership ranks based on leadership, diligence, and commitment to criminal justice issues.

The incoming Executive Board holds an informational meeting in April. The write-on competition is a closed-universe writing assignment with the Law Review and Journal of Criminal Justice providing all of the necessary research, including cases, statutes, and other relevant material. Participants must take and persuasively support a position with only the material provided and cannot perform any outside research. The Executive Board generally notifies the participants of their decision within two weeks of the submission date.