Corrections1 Article Guidelines for Authors

Thanks for your interest in contributing an article to Corrections1, the leading news and information website for corrections. 

Below we provide answers to some of the FAQ we receive from new authors. 

What content is Corrections1 looking for?

Corrections1 welcomes fellow corrections professionals who can clearly and concisely communicate concepts and ideas through the written word. We also promote healthy and respectful discussion about topics within the industry. Check out our topic sections, product categories and most recent columnist articles for insights and ideas of the topics, products and themes we regularly cover. 

Publication on Corrections1.com is the best way for correctional facility leaders, line supervisors,  training officers and corrections personnel to reach the largest audience of correctional officers in the United States.

Where are articles published?

Articles are distributed by eNewsletter, social channels and optimized for search engine discovery and ranking.

Many of our authors cite their published articles on Corrections1 as important to receiving conference speaking invites, work recognition and growing a professional network.

How do I submit an article proposal to Corrections1?

Before you submit an article, please send an email to the Corrections1 editor. For each article you are proposing include:

• Working title for the article;
• 2-3 sentence description of the article;
• Bullet list of key points;
• Date article will be submitted by.

Include in the proposal, if not recently sent, an up-to-date resume or CV. 

We regularly consider article proposals for:

• Analysis and opinion pieces on current events and breaking news;
• Recaps of events or programs;
• Analysis of corrections-related research;
• Human-interest articles;
• Product, movie or book reviews;
• Process explainers – training, purchasing, leading teams, etc.;
• Tips and best practices;
• Incident reports;
• Essays, poems, illustrations and cartoons.

How do I submit an article for review to Corrections1?

If a site editor accepts your proposed article idea(s), review and follow these important specifications for submission style and format. As you consider the format for your article, readers respond well to tips, resources, best practices and lists.

Corrections1 article specifications:

• Contributions must be unique and original writing that has not been previously submitted to other publications.
• Each submission should be between 800 to 2,000 words submitted as a Microsoft Word or Google document.
• Format text as Arial font, 12-point, single-space with breaks between paragraphs and one space after periods.

With your submission, please include:

• A list of references in a publication-ready format at the end of the document. If a URL is available for the reference, please provide.
• Include original photo(s) of related procedures or equipment with your submission.
• Include a 3-5 sentence author biography.

Note: On the use of generative AI, we understand that our contributors may want to use these tools to research story ideas and examples. We ask authors to share with the editor whether and how they’ve used these tools. Authors are accountable for the accuracy, integrity and originality of their content.

What is the article editing process?

If the Corrections1 editorial team determines the article matches the proposal, and meets our editorial needs and the interests of our readers, the editors will edit the document. If it is determined that the article needs additional work beyond basic copyediting and/or reorganization, the edited document may be returned for required changes. (Authors may also request that any edits be approved before the article goes live on the site.) Once all necessary revisions have been made, the article will then be added to our publication queue and scheduled for promotion.

Finally, our regular columnists generally start as contributors. Based on the performance and quality of contributor submissions, we will consider bringing on a writer as a regular columnist. 

Lexipol is committed to conducting our business in accordance with the highest standards of business ethics. Corrections1 editorial standards promote accuracy, fairness, balance and accountability while promoting the advancement of the industry and the safety of those who serve their communities. Learn more: Corrections1 Ethics and Standards