~ RGVRC Affiliate Scholar ~

Dr. Brooklynn Hitchens is an assistant professor in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Maryland. Her research examines how inequalities of race, class, and gender shape participation in crime, risks for victimization, and involvement with police. She primarily focuses on women and crime through examining how street-identified Black women and girls grapple with gun violence in low-income communities. Using participatory action research (PAR) methods, she partners with these communities to reduce racial disparities in violence exposure. Her work is primarily qualitative, through the use of ethnography, interviews, and focus groups, and she also utilizes mixed methods.