In 2018, the Commonwealth Heads of Government endorsed the Commonwealth Cyber Declaration (CCD). The CCD enjoins all Commonwealth countries to achieve a common vision which ensures the internet remains free, open, and inclusive across the Commonwealth.

This call is in recognition of the numerous advantages and disadvantages associated with cyberspace’s decentralised nature, which on the one hand, empowers individuals, fosters innovation, development, and collaboration across all facets of life but also exacerbates criminal activities online.

This is a call by the Commonwealth Secretariat for papers for its inaugural Commonwealth Cybercrime Journal. The journal will feature scholarly articles and commentary by academics, policymakers, practitioners, and experts on the types, trends and impact of cybercrime in Commonwealth member countries and globally as well as the challenges and opportunities for building effective anti-cybercrime legal, policy, institutional and multilateral frameworks. The Commonwealth also encourages submissions on the on-going efforts to create a global cybercrime treaty.

The thematic areas on cybercrime that will be featured in the journal include the full range of computer and computer enabled crimes; privacy and data protection and security; ransomware and phishing; intellectual property violations; cybercrime and its intersection with gender, race, youth and other demographics; elections; cybercrime and the digital economy, including digital currencies; cybercrime and the civil and criminal justice system; electronic evidence; mutual legal assistance in criminal matters; role of girls, women and vulnerable groups; online safety, etc.

For publication in the first edition of the Commonwealth Cybercrime Journal authors are invited to submit their article of no more than 7000 words with the author’s full name, biography or CV and contact details, to Dr Nkechi Amobi at [email protected] & [email protected]

Timeline

  • Abstract (500 words) due:  2nd September 2022
  • Abstract Acceptance: 9th September 2022
  • Draft papers due: 12th September—4th November 2022
  • Decision: 7th November—11th November 2022
  • Review and Revisions Process: 14th November 2022—19th January 2023
  • Publication: 26th January 2023.

Guideline for authors

  • All draft papers must be in word format written in font 12pt Trebuchet MS with 1.5 line spacing and justified (footnotes should be in font 10pt Trebuchet).

  • Length of draft paper should be between 5000-7000 words (+/-10%) (footnotes excluded)

  • All draft paper should have a short executive summary of the main content/argument of the article.

  • All draft papers should include a short biography (one or two sentences per author) describing the current function/affiliation of the author and e-mail contact details of the author.