Is Open Access Criminology Influential?: Journal of Criminal Justice Education: Vol 0, No 0 - Get Access

Abstract:  Open access is a hot topic throughout the sciences, including in criminology and criminal justice (CCJ), with increasing calls for accessibility of high-quality research for the public and policymakers. Yet, the question remains: How influential are open access publications? We use Altmetric data from 95 CCJ journals to examine whether the presence and level of open access corresponds with variations in three influence indicators: Altmetric Attention Scores, Twitter/X mentions, and news mentions. Results indicate that open access is positively associated with Altmetric influence, even at lower tiers of access.