About the Journal

Focus and Scope

The Sistema Penal & Violência Journal, published by the PUCRS’s Criminal Sciences Post-Graduation Program, provides an opportunity for reflection and divulgation of themes related to the criminal sciences debate, seeking to aid the comprehension of violence and the performance of both the punitive agencies (penal system) and the institutions and apparatus oriented to violence prevention. Its history and philosophy enables a space for a dialogue between the legal and criminological perspectives with other fields of knowledge. The Journal is open to research publications, reflections and reviews on criminology, criminal law and criminal procedure fields (as well as other legal areas related to violence topics), whenever interacted with Psychiatry, Psychology, Psychoanalysis, Anthropology, History, Sociology, Political Science, Literature, International Relations and Philosophy, seeking to contribute with the understanding of the phenomena related to violence, crime, its prevention apparatus and systems’ performance, penal system operation and its repercussion on a broader social reality.

Peer Review Process

Every paper forwarded to publication is submitted by the Editorial Board to external, anonymous and independent double-blind evaluation. Based on these opinions, the Editorial Board decides on publicizing the paper or not; the paper’s author will be notified of either judgment. In the event of approval, the communication will indicate the Journal’s volume and number in which the paper will be published.

Open Access Policy

This journal provides open access to all of its content, based on the principle that having free access to articles generates the greatest global exchange of knowledge. Such access helps an author’s publication to be more read and cited. For further information about this approach, visit the Public Knowledge Project, which developed this system for improving scholarly and public quality research and distributes the Open Journal System as well as a support software for the publishing system, providing public access to academic research.