Adrienne J. Brookstein holds a BA and an MA in Criminal Justice from Rowan University, where she graduated from the 4+1 Accelerated Program. At Rowan University, Adrienne graduated summa cum laude, minored in Writing Arts, and was a part of the Martinson Honors College. Adrienne has worked as a paralegal and has interned for the US Department of Veteran Affairs' digital media engagement team. Adrienne began working as a researcher during her sophomore year of college when she was first invited onto a research project analyzing the effects of Marijuana Legalization on Law Enforcement and Crime. During her master's, she worked on a meta-analysis on white-collar crime deterrence and co-authored a paper on the negative impacts of juvenile incarceration.
She worked as a research assistant for her first two years in Temple's PhD program. Her research was funded by The National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, and Education Center (NCITE), a DHS Center of Excellence led by the University of Nebraska at Omaha. With NCITE, Adrienne investigated how political discourse can turn to election-motivated violent extremism. Specifically, she researched how social media can create echo chambers that further isolate and misinform individuals and inspire violent collective action. She also co-led a red-team trial that sought to protect election personnel by analyzing their digital footprints. The goal was to enhance their cybersecurity posture and diminish risk, including the reduction of death threats to them and their loved ones.
Adrienne's commitment to enhancing safety, security, and well-being is evident in all aspects of her research and professional life. She has presented her work at two national conferences and is dedicated to sharing her findings with practitioners. Her recent project focuses on understanding how wars overseas influence cycles of protest and US hate crimes. Specifically, she is investigating the impact of the Israel-Hamas war on US Jewish and Muslim community members. Adrienne has also embarked on a multi-year study with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, aiming to improve law enforcement approaches and their interactions with survivors of domestic violence and sexual assaults. This research is designed to uplift diverse voices and foster greater collaboration between law enforcement and the communities they serve.
As Adrienne finishes her PhD studies, she will continue researching Cyberhate, Extremism, Hate Crimes, Policing, Terrorism, and Violence.