A common practice among authors is to consider journals’ impact factor when deciding where to publish. That approach to evaluating journals has merit, though its importance is often exaggerated and misused, not to mention inappropriately manipulated.1 Journals also vary in accessibility. The most accessible journals are referred to as “diamond”: free for everyone to read and publish in.2

There is not an existing rank of “top diamond publications” in criminology.3 When authors decide where to published based on journals’ respective accessibility, they may also consider their respective citations. By prioritizing, and acting on, publishing in diamond journals, authors serve social justice and, other things being equal, increase their personal impact.4

To help authors, I created the Citation Rank of Diamond Journals in Criminology. As its title suggests, it ranks criminology’s diamond journals according to their citations. This information is useful for making accessibility an important part of deciding where to publish.

Creating the Citation Ranks of Diamond Journals in Criminology

The following information is used to create the ranking:

• For each journal, its copyright policy. Specifically, whether it is a diamond journal. I use the Wiki List of Criminology Journals (as of July 8, 2020) as the basis for that information because it is free and, to my knowledge, the most complete and accurate list of its kind.

• For each journal, its citations. I used Google Scholar (as of July 8, 2020) to determine such because it is free and widely used.

Based on that information, the Citation Rank of Diamond Journals in Criminology lists journals from most to least citations.