Time to Change
Tht: first Editor of this Journal has many favourite epigrams and quotations, one of which is Viscount Falkland's "When it is not necessary to change, it is necessary not to change". With this issue of the Journal a t least the front cover had to be changed because of the resignation of Russell Stockdale. There are changes inside too, with a revised layout and new Instructions to Authors. The need for this is perhaps less obvious, but is easily described-to improve the Journal.
If "Forensic" and "Science" are looked up in any fair-sized dictionary it will be seen why Forensic Science has so many constituent parts; articles submitted to any Forensic Science Journal will therefore always be varied, but this Journal has an additional variable in that it is the organ of the Forensic Science Society (including its affiliates) and of the Californian Association of Criminalists. I t can often therefore be difficult for an individual reader to find his way through the contents to that which is of most likely interest to him-Questioned Documents, Review Papers, or the initials of Editorial writers for instance !
The Journal now has four sections: Editorial, Commentary, Original Papers, and Society News. Normally Editorials will be anonymous and will be penned by the Editor or someone subject to Editorial persuasion. Any author who wishes to put pen to paper and record his views on a matter of principle in Forensic Science is welcome to so do; his efforts will be sent to referees and with their support appear as a Guest Editorial under the author's full name and origin.
Commentary is a new section, and here will appear review papers, case reports and scientific correspondence. These will be accepted only after peer review. The designation Original Papers for the following section is not intended to denigrate the efforts of those who have constructed lucid and helpful reviews or those who are reporting unique and interesting cases, but rather is used to indicate papers which report on the scientific investigation of original hypotheses formulated, tested and presented by the author in the time-honoured manner. Because of their nature, some latitude of style may properly be permitted to articles appearing in the Commentary Section but Original Papers will be required to meet the standards given in the Instructions to Authors. Peer review will of course apply to Original Papers.
It is hoped that the Society News will become a record of the professional affairs (in contrast to Business Affairs) of the Society and its affiliates, and will also contain a miscellany of items of interest to members. The Presidential Address and the J.B. Firth Memorial Lecture will be published in this section. These will be printed as submitted in recognition of their significance in the affairs of the Society. Other papers presented at a Society meeting (or at the meetings of the C.A.C. or an affiliated organisation) may find their way into the Journal by two routes: by being submitted for consideration for Commentary or Original Papers sections, or as a title, abstract or short paper in a Meeting Report, usually prepared by the appropriate meeting organiser. Other items in Society News will include correspondence not related to scientific matters, abstracts, book reviews and announcements.