The journal is aimed primarily at managers and academics involved with the Probation Service and other criminal justice agencies, although it may from time to time carry material of wider interest in public services. Contributors should address themselves primarily to criminal justice management audiences.

All contributors will be assessed by two assessors.

Discriminatory language is to be avoided and assessors will be asked to comment on this.

Readability is a key consideration. Jargon and bureaucratic language should be avoided, and theoretical issues should wherever possible be set out clearly and simply, and illustrated with pr~actical examples. Brevity and clarity are desirable objectives.

The average length of contributions for the Main Articles Section is 2,000 words, but in practice this will vary from 1,000 to 5,000 words. Briefer articles are preferred for the Forum Section 500 to 2,000 words.

Articles and proposals for contributions should be sent to:
Amanda Williams
Vista Administrator
School of Public Policy
The University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham B15 2TT

Telephone: 0121 414 7407
Fax: 0121 414 4954
E-mail: a.a.williams@bham.ac.uk

Please state title and length of contribution when submitting material. Whenever possible, please submit articles on PC formatted disk (3.5" or CD). Plain unformatted text is preferred but most processing formats are acceptable.

Typed articles should be submitted in triplicate, and a further copy should be retained by the author. Double-spacing is preferable.

References should follow the Harvard convention.

VISTA is published three times per year, in the Spring, Summer and Autumn/Winter. Depending on the numbers of articles received, every effort is made to publish contributions within one year of acceptance.

For more detailed guidance on this and other matters, please contact the Vista Administrator.