Biography
Patricia Pérez (LL.B., University of Valparaíso) is one of only five women to have held the Justice portfolio in the Chilean cabinet. During her tenure, inter alia, she helped see through new legislation on alternatives to incarceration, including introduction of ankle monitors and reinforcement of non-custodial measures. Ms. Pérez also helped implement gender-based corrections policies, a first for Chile that included special measures for women and the LGBTI population.
She previously held the positions of Deputy Minister of Justice and, for a decade, of trial attorney and advisor with the Office of the Public Defender.
Currently completing a Doctoral Degree in Law at the University of Valparaíso, Ms. Pérez holds an honorary doctorate (Duniv) from the California Western School of Law and an LL.M. in Criminal Law and Science from the Catholic University of Valparaíso.
Her contributions to public service have twice (2007 and 2013) earned her a citation among Chile’s Top 100 Women Leaders (El Mercurio, Chile’s newspaper of record).
Recently appointed by the OAS to the Board of Directors of the Justice Studies Center of the Americas, to serve from 2019 to 2021
