DeFi for Open Criminology: Onboarding Global Institutions to Ethereum

First name

Scott

Last name

Jacques

Email

[email protected]

Are you submitting on behalf of a team, or as an individual?

Team

Name of organization or entity

CrimConsortium LLC

Individual or team summary

I’m Scott Jacques, a professor of criminology and criminal justice at Georgia State University (GSU). I’m also the founder of CrimRxiv and Executive Director of CrimConsortium LLC. I’m submitting this application on behalf of the latter. (I share a little more about me in the application’s final section.)

CRIMCONSORTIUM LLC & CRIMRXIV CONSORTIUM

CrimConsortium LLC is the legal entity behind the CrimRxiv Consortium: an international network of institutions leading, providing, and supporting open criminology. Still growing, we have 26 Members from Belgium, Canada, England, Germany, New Zealand, South Asia, Spain, and the United States.

CRIMRXIV & OPEN CRIMINOLOGY

CrimRxiv, our flagship project, is dedicated to increasing the quantity, quality, and usage of “open criminology” resources. It’s a hub and repository. For example, we publish and reshare open-access articles, books, data, code, and instructional resources. This initiative enhances the scientific rigor and impact of criminological research by ensuring free access for everyone.

MOTIVATION & GOALS

Open access to criminological research can significantly improve public safety and justice systems globally. With this proposal, we aim to advance open criminology by onboarding our Members into DeFi, leveraging blockchain technology to enhance transparency and efficiency in research funding and dissemination.

RELEVANT LINKS

CrimRxiv Consortium: https://crimrxiv.com/consortium

Progress Timeline: https://crimrxiv.com/news

Personal Website: https://scottjacques.pubpub.org

City

Peachtree City, Georgia

Country

United States

Website

https://crimrxiv.com/consortium

Twitter

@crimconsortium

Project category

DeFi

Project name

DeFi for Open Criminology: Onboarding Global Institutions to Ethereum

Project repo

Not applicable.

Previous work

Not applicable.

What is the project?

The project aims to onboard the CrimRxiv Consortium, an international network of criminology institutions, into the Ethereum ecosystem to advance both DeFi and open criminology. Our project aligns closely with Ethereum’s mission of creating more open and accessible systems. By leveraging blockchain technology to enhance transparency and efficiency in research funding and dissemination, we’re extending Ethereum’s ethos into the realm of academic research and open criminology. Key components of the proposed work include:

1) DeFi Education: Developing tailored educational resources to introduce CrimRxiv Consortium Members to Ethereum and DeFi concepts.

2) Wallet Setup: Guiding each participating institution through the process of setting up and securing an Ethereum wallet.

3) USDC Transactions: Facilitating the transfer of USDC for membership fees, demonstrating the efficiency and transparency of blockchain transactions.

4) Smart Contract Development: Creating and implementing smart contracts to automate and transparently manage fund allocation within the CrimRxiv Consortium.

5) Documentation and Reporting: Thoroughly documenting the onboarding process, challenges faced, and solutions developed to serve as a model for other academic fields.

This multi-faceted approach will not only introduce DeFi to the criminology community but also showcase the potential of Ethereum in revolutionizing academic funding and collaboration.

What problem(s) are being solved by within the scope of the grant?

CrimRxiv provides free access to authors and readers. To fund this, we established the CrimRxiv Consortium, asking Members to pay an annual fee of $3,500. Currently, we rely on bank transfers (CeFi) for these payments, both domestic and international. This grant aims to solve several problems:

1) Inefficient Payment Systems: CeFi transfers are often expensive and slow, especially for international transactions.

2) Lack of Transparency: Traditional banking offers limited visibility into transaction processes and fund allocation.

3) DeFi Adoption Barriers: Our Members, like many academic institutions, are unfamiliar with DeFi systems.

4) Need for Education and Support: To transition to DeFi, our Members require motivation and assistance.

5) Limited Financial Inclusion: Traditional banking systems can exclude or limit participation from certain regions or institutions, whereas DeFi on Ethereum can provide more inclusive access to financial services for academic institutions globally.

By addressing these issues, we aim to improve our funding model’s efficiency and set an example for other academic fields considering DeFi adoption.

Why is your project important?

Our project addresses critical inefficiencies in academic funding and publication while leveraging the power of DeFi to revolutionize these processes. By leading this transition, we’re not just advancing criminology, but potentially catalyzing a transformation in how academic research is funded, conducted, and shared across all disciplines. Here’s how:

1) Pioneering Integration: By bridging DeFi and criminology, we’re creating a more open, efficient, and impactful research ecosystem.

2) Global Collaboration: Blockchain technology facilitates seamless international cooperation, which is crucial for addressing transnational issues and sharing knowledge across borders.

3) Accelerating Adoption: While criminology institutions will eventually adopt DeFi, this project will accelerate the process, ensuring it happens faster, on a larger scale, and more effectively.

4) Model for Academia: As a pioneer in this space, our project will provide a practical model for other academic fields to follow and build upon.

5) Enhancing Transparency: DeFi systems offer unprecedented transparency in funding allocation and research impact tracking, which can significantly improve accountability in academic research.

6) Expanding Financial Access: DeFi can provide more inclusive access to funding and financial services for academic institutions globally, particularly benefiting those in regions underserved by traditional banking systems.

This project is important for criminology institutions because it addresses the growing demand for more efficient, transparent, and accessible research funding mechanisms. By integrating DeFi into academic operations, we’re solving immediate practical issues while positioning these institutions at the forefront of financial innovation in academia. By addressing these key areas, our project advances criminology and aligns closely with Ethereum’s mission of creating more open, accessible, and efficient systems across various sectors.

How does your project differ from similar ones?

Our project differs from similar ones in several key ways:

1) Specialized Focus: While many DeFi projects focus on general finance or economics, CrimRxiv uniquely targets the intersection of criminology and DeFi. This specialized approach allows us to address specific challenges in criminological research funding and dissemination.

2) Global Model: Unlike projects limited to single institutions, CrimRxiv Consortium leverages an international network of 26 Member organizations. This diverse group brings unique perspectives on both criminology and DeFi, enabling cross-border collaboration and fostering a truly global approach to open criminology research.

3) Open Access Emphasis: We prioritize increasing the quantity, quality, and usage of open criminology resources. This focus on open access is not typically the primary goal of other DeFi academic projects.

4) Practical Application: Many academic projects study DeFi theoretically, but CrimRxiv aims to practically apply DeFi concepts to advance open criminology. We’ll actively work to onboard embers into the Ethereum ecosystem, providing real-world use cases for DeFi in academia.

Currently, most academic institutions rely on centralized funding models, including government grants and traditional banking systems. Our project offers a decentralized alternative, potentially reducing reliance on these conventional methods and demonstrating DeFi's broader applicability. Our unique expertise lies in our deep understanding of both criminology and the potential of blockchain technology. This combination allows us to bridge the gap between traditional academic research and innovative funding models, positioning us to lead the adoption of DeFi in academia.

Requested amount

USD 30000

Proposed tasks, roadmap and budget

We are requesting a total of US$30,000 to incentivize and facilitate DeFi adoption among CrimRxiv Consortium Members. This fund will be distributed to Members who agree to pay their 2025-2026 annual fee in USDC to CrimConsortium LLC.

Our structured three-phase approach aims to motivate institutions to adopt DeFi by providing initial funding and ensuring investment in open criminology. While we acknowledge that not all Members may participate due to institutional constraints, we will distribute funds only among active participants, maximizing the impact of this initiative on those ready to embrace DeFi technologies.

PHASE 1: PREPARATION & OUTREACH (Mid-May to Mid-June 2024)

Objectives: Inform Members about the DeFi project; secure participant commitments; develop onboarding resources.

Tasks: Discuss with all CrimRxiv Consortium Members; curate existing DeFi onboarding resources; create criminology-specific DeFi educational materials.

Deliverables: Final list of participating Members; comprehensive DeFi onboarding resource package.

Budget: $0

PHASE 2: ONBOARDING & TRANSACTIONS (Mid-June to July 2024)

Objectives: Onboard participants into the Ethereum ecosystem; facilitate USDC transactions.

Tasks: Guide each participant in creating an Ethereum account; distribute USDC to participants; receive USDC from participants as Member fees.

Deliverables: Transaction hashes for all USDC distributions and receipts.

Budget: $30,000 for USDC distribution to participating Members.

PHASE 3: EVALUATION & REPORTING (August to September 2024)

Objectives: Assess project outcomes; document process, successes, and challenges.

Tasks: Analyze participation rates and feedback; compile lessons learned; draft comprehensive report.

Deliverables: Final project report detailing outcomes, challenges, and recommendations.

Budget: $0

Is your project a public good?

Yes, our project is a public good. It supports CrimRxiv, an open-source platform, and promotes open-access criminology outputs. By leveraging DeFi to fund and disseminate open-access research, we're creating several public goods:

1) Open Knowledge: All criminology resources on CrimRxiv are freely accessible, benefiting researchers, policymakers, and the public globally.

2) Transparent Funding Model: Our DeFi-based approach creates a transparent, replicable model for research funding that other disciplines can adopt.

3) Educational Resources: The DeFi onboarding materials we create will be openly available, helping other academic institutions transition to blockchain technologies.

4) Less Crime, Better Justice: By making criminological research more accessible, we contribute to evidence-based policies and practices in criminal justice systems worldwide.

5) Open-Source Infrastructure: CrimRxiv’s platform itself is open-source, allowing others to build upon and improve it.

This project thus not only produces public goods in criminology but also contributes to the broader ecosystem of open science and decentralized technologies.

Is your project open source?

Yes, our project is open-source in multiple ways:

1) Platform: CrimRxiv operates on PubPub, an open-source publishing platform developed by Knowledge Futures. This ensures transparency and allows for community-driven improvements to the underlying technology.

2) Content: All publications on CrimRxiv are freely accessible, embodying the principles of open access. This includes articles, data, software, and educational resources related to criminology.

3) Code and Data: We encourage and support the sharing of open-source code and data associated with criminological research. This promotes reproducibility and collaborative advancement in the field.

4) Educational Resources: The DeFi onboarding materials we create for this project will be openly available, contributing to the broader ecosystem of open educational resources.

5) Governance: We strive for transparency in our operations and decision-making processes, aligning with open-source principles of community involvement and collaboration.

By embracing open-source practices across these dimensions, we aim to foster a more inclusive, transparent, and collaborative environment for criminological research and education.

What are your plans after the grant is completed?

Our plans after the grant is completed focus on leveraging the momentum and infrastructure created to ensure long-term sustainability and growth:

1) Continued DeFi Integration: We will encourage and support Members to continue using DeFi for future fee payments, building on the established processes.

2) Expansion of CrimRxiv Consortium: Using our successful DeFi adoption as a selling point, we aim to attract new Members, increasing our network and financial stability.

3) Knowledge Sharing: We will actively share our experiences and best practices with other academic fields, positioning CrimRxiv as a leader in academic DeFi adoption.

4) Exploring Additional DeFi Applications: We'll investigate other ways to leverage DeFi in academic publishing, such as tokenizing research contributions or implementing decentralized peer review systems.

5) Self-Sustaining Model: The efficiency gains and cost savings from DeFi adoption will contribute to our operational sustainability, reducing reliance on external funding.

6) Community Governance: We'll explore implementing a DAO-type structure for CrimRxiv Consortium decision-making, further embracing decentralization principles.

This grant serves as a catalyst for a self-sustaining model of open criminology powered by DeFi. By demonstrating the benefits of this approach, we aim to create a system that not only sustains itself but also grows and evolves, continually advancing open access in criminology and serving as a model for other academic disciplines.

If you didn't work on this project, what would you work on instead?

If I didn’t work on this project, I’d pursue creating an online marketplace that connects criminologists, forensic scientists, and scientifically-oriented lawyers with organizations and individuals looking for services (e.g., crime analysis, DNA analysis, empirical-legal analysis).

Have you previously applied to ESP with this same idea or project?

No.

Have you applied for or received other funding?

No. CrimConsortium LLC is afforded by Members of the CrimRxiv Consortium, with special support from the University of Manchester and Knowledge Futures.

How did you hear about the Ecosystem Support Program?

Ethereum.org

Did anyone recommend that you submit an application to the Ecosystem Support Program?

Zach Verdin, Executive Director of Knowledge Futures (KF), has been instrumental in helping us identify opportunities to advance our work. KF, a nonprofit infrastructure organization and spinoff of MIT Media Lab and MIT Press, is our closest partner and biggest supporter to date. We started CrimRxiv on their open-source platform, PubPub, in 2020. Verdin, who transitioned from Head of Growth & Innovation to Executive Director this year, has consistently supported our efforts to explore new avenues for growth and innovation. His guidance indirectly led to this application, as well as other opportunities such as my involvement with NFTs and subsequent work with ResearchHub.

RELEVANT LINKS

KF’s Origin Story: https://mitpress.mit.edu/the-mit-press-and-the-mit-media-lab-launch-the-knowledge-futures-group/

KF’s Platform, PubPub: https://pubpub.org

KF’s Latest Direction: https://www.knowledgefutures.org/updates/ed-transition/

Zach’s Personal Website: https://www.zachverdin.com

Anything else you’d like to share?

My other relevant experience includes serving as Associate Director for GSU’s Evidence-Based Cybersecurity Research Group. In that role, I developed our Digital Criminology Minor. I’ve traded crypto since pre-pandemic. I’ve done so avidly for a few years. My favorite part is supporting NFT artists, though it’s also interesting to see the various scams (e.g., via Discord, Twitter). This experience led me to collaborate with ResearchHub for a few months.

We appreciate your consideration. Keep up the good work. Happy new year. #buidl

RELEVANT LINKS

GSU EBCS: https://ebcs.gsu.edu/

Some of my NFTs: https://foundation.app/0xB4ccdFa84ecEaea5e6CEbE0807b018638618F55d?tab=owned

Something I wrote about NFTs and criminology: https://commonplace.knowledgefutures.org/pub/rodfm0hf