“Thirty years of Boletín Criminológico: beginnings and consolidation”

Abstract

In June 1994, the first issue of Boletín Criminológico was published with the aim of disseminating empirical research in Criminology, a discipline that at that time was in its beginnings in Spain. The journal was born as a tool to publicize the empirical research conducted mainly in the Malaga section of the Andalusian Interuniversity Institute of Criminology (IAIC), but it soon expanded its scope, including works by researchers from all over the country and, gradually, from abroad, offering a space for the publication of papers of both academic and professional fields, and consolidating itself as a reference in Criminology in Spain. Thirty years have passed since those first issues began to be published on paper, in a format of 4 pages in triple column, very convenient for quick consultation of the contents and which has undergone several changes until its current digital format approved in length and content to the requirements of the evaluation agencies of research quality. Throughout these three decades, more than 200 articles on a wide range of topics have been published, with special emphasis on empirical criminological research carried out in Spain and Latin America. This article is the introduction to a special issue that celebrates this milestone with the participation of people who have collaborated with the journal over the years, publishing their research, being part of its editorial board or acting as external reviewers, all of them with consolidated and prestigious academic or professional careers. After recalling the journal’s beginnings
until its consolidation as a reference publication in an expanding area of knowledge, this article presents data on the evolution of the journal (topics covered, origin of authors, profile of readers, evolution of the format and design of the publication, as well as
its impact and quality indicators) and raises the challenges that lie ahead to address the current and future challenges of criminological research today.