Data Availability Statement

Editorial Policies

Data Availability Statement

The Review of Studies on Criminology, Sociology, and Law (RSCSL) supports the principles of transparency, reproducibility, and responsible research by encouraging authors to make the data underlying their published research available whenever ethically, legally, and practically possible. A clear Data Availability Statement is required for all manuscripts submitted to the journal to inform readers about the accessibility of the data supporting the study's findings.

RSCSL recognizes that the availability of research data may vary depending on the nature of the study. Research involving sensitive legal records, law enforcement information, judicial proceedings, crime victims, offenders, vulnerable populations, confidential government documents, or other protected information may require restrictions to safeguard privacy, confidentiality, public safety, or legal obligations. In such cases, authors should provide a clear explanation for any limitations on data sharing while ensuring maximum transparency regarding their research methods.

 

Data Availability Requirement

Every manuscript submitted to RSCSL must include a Data Availability Statement immediately before the References section.

The statement should clearly indicate:

  • Whether the data supporting the study are publicly available;
  • Where the data can be accessed;
  • Any conditions governing access;
  • The reasons for any restrictions on availability, where applicable.

This requirement applies to empirical, quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods, experimental, comparative, doctrinal, forensic, and interdisciplinary research.

Types of Data Availability

Authors should indicate the most appropriate category for their study.

 

Publicly Available Data

Where possible, research data should be deposited in a recognized institutional, disciplinary, governmental, or general-purpose repository.

Authors should provide:

  • Repository name;
  • Persistent identifier (DOI where available);
  • Accession number or dataset identifier;
  • Permanent URL.

Example:

Data Availability Statement: The data supporting the findings of this study are publicly available in [Repository Name] at [DOI or URL].
 

Data Available Upon Reasonable Request

Where public sharing is not appropriate but data may be shared responsibly, authors should indicate that access is available upon reasonable request.

Example:

Data Availability Statement: The data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
 

Restricted Data

Data may require restricted access because of ethical, legal, contractual, institutional, or confidentiality obligations.

Examples include research involving:

  • Crime victims;
  • Juvenile offenders;
  • Persons deprived of liberty;
  • Law enforcement investigations;
  • Court records;
  • Judicial proceedings;
  • Correctional institutions;
  • Protected government records;
  • Sensitive interview data;
  • Confidential institutional information;
  • Commercially protected materials.

Authors should explain any restrictions clearly while providing sufficient methodological detail to allow readers to understand how the research was conducted.

Example:

Data Availability Statement: The data are not publicly available because they contain confidential information protected by ethical, legal, or institutional restrictions. Access may be considered upon reasonable request and subject to approval by the relevant institution and applicable legal requirements.
 

No New Data Generated

Some studies, including doctrinal legal analyses, review articles, policy analyses, or theoretical papers, may not generate new datasets.

Example:

Data Availability Statement: No new data were generated or analyzed in support of this research.
 

Data Sharing Expectations

RSCSL encourages authors, whenever appropriate, to make available:

  • Raw research data;
  • Processed datasets;
  • Coding frameworks;
  • Statistical outputs;
  • Qualitative coding schemes;
  • Interview guides;
  • Questionnaires;
  • Survey instruments;
  • Observation protocols;
  • Research software or code;
  • Analytical scripts;
  • Legal databases compiled by the researchers;
  • Supplementary documentation necessary for verification of the research.

Sharing research materials enhances transparency, facilitates future research, and strengthens confidence in published findings.

 

Reproducibility and Transparency

RSCSL supports research practices that enhance reproducibility and verification.

Authors are encouraged to provide sufficient information regarding:

  • Research procedures;
  • Analytical workflows;
  • Statistical analyses;
  • Coding manuals;
  • Computational methods;
  • Software packages;
  • Programming code;
  • Legal research methods;
  • Documentary sources;
  • Case selection procedures;
  • Comparative legal analyses.

Whenever legally and ethically permissible, supplementary materials should be deposited in trusted repositories or submitted alongside the manuscript.

The journal recognizes that complete reproducibility may not always be possible, particularly for studies involving confidential legal records, criminal investigations, sensitive interviews, judicial proceedings, or protected governmental information. In such cases, authors should provide as much methodological transparency as possible while respecting ethical and legal obligations.

 

Ethical and Legal Considerations

Data sharing should always respect:

  • Participant privacy;
  • Confidentiality agreements;
  • Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Research Ethics Committee requirements;
  • Data protection and privacy legislation;
  • Intellectual property rights;
  • Commercial confidentiality;
  • Contractual obligations;
  • Applicable national and international laws.

Authors must ensure that any shared datasets have been appropriately anonymized, de-identified, or aggregated before public release whenever individual participants, organizations, or confidential business information could otherwise be identified.

The journal recognizes that legitimate ethical, legal, commercial, contractual, or privacy considerations—including compliance with the Data Privacy Act of 2012 (Republic Act No. 10173) of the Philippines—may limit data sharing. Accordingly, REABMS will not require authors to disclose confidential information or personal data in violation of applicable laws, ethical standards, institutional policies, or contractual obligations.

 

Compliance with the Philippine Data Privacy Act

For research involving personal information, sensitive personal information, or privileged information collected within the Philippines, authors must comply with the Data Privacy Act of 2012 (Republic Act No. 10173) and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR), as well as relevant issuances of the National Privacy Commission (NPC).

Authors are responsible for ensuring that:

  • Personal data are collected, processed, stored, and shared lawfully, fairly, and transparently;
  • Research participants are informed of how their personal information will be used, disclosed, retained, and protected;
  • Personally identifiable information is removed or appropriately anonymized before datasets are publicly shared;
  • Appropriate technical, organizational, and administrative safeguards are implemented to protect confidential information;
  • Data sharing complies with applicable institutional policies, ethical approvals, contractual obligations, and Philippine privacy legislation.

The journal will not require authors to disclose data in a manner that violates the Data Privacy Act of 2012, institutional ethics requirements, confidentiality agreements, or other applicable legal obligations.

 

Editorial Assessment

Editors and reviewers may evaluate whether the Data Availability Statement:

  • Is complete and accurate;
  • Is consistent with the reported methodology;
  • Provides sufficient information regarding access restrictions;
  • Supports transparency and reproducibility where appropriate.

Where necessary, the Editorial Office may request clarification before publication.

 

Author Responsibilities

Authors are responsible for ensuring that:

  • Data Availability Statements accurately reflect the accessibility of the research data;
  • Shared datasets comply with ethical, legal, and institutional requirements;
  • Confidential information has been appropriately protected;
  • Data repositories are reliable and provide persistent access where possible;
  • Any subsequent changes affecting data availability are communicated to the journal.

Commitment to Research Transparency

The Review of Studies on Criminology, Sociology, and Law (RSCSL) is committed to promoting responsible data stewardship, transparency, and reproducibility while respecting ethical, legal, and confidentiality obligations. By requiring Data Availability Statements and encouraging responsible data sharing, the journal strengthens research integrity, facilitates scholarly collaboration, and enhances the long-term value of published research in criminology, sociology, law, criminal justice, forensic science, public safety, governance, and related interdisciplinary disciplines.

 

Alignment with International Standards

This policy has been developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles governing research transparency, data sharing, reproducibility, privacy protection, and responsible scholarly publishing. It is informed by the guidance and recommendations of:

  • Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) – Core Practices and guidance on research data, data sharing, research integrity, confidentiality, and ethical publication:
    https://publicationethics.org/
  • International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) – Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work, including recommendations on data sharing statements, research transparency, and reproducibility:
    https://www.icmje.org/recommendations/
  • Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) – Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing, supporting transparent editorial policies, responsible research reporting, and openness in scholarly communication:
    https://doaj.org/apply/guide/
  • Republic Act No. 10173 (Data Privacy Act of 2012, Philippines) and its Implementing Rules and Regulations, administered by the National Privacy Commission, governing the lawful processing, protection, and disclosure of personal data in research:
    https://privacy.gov.ph/data-privacy-act/

RSCSL periodically reviews and updates this policy to ensure continued alignment with evolving international standards for research transparency, data availability, publication ethics, data protection, editorial integrity, and responsible open-access scholarly publishing.