Benjamin
Perrin
Benjamin Perrin is a professor at the Peter A. Allard School of Law at the University of British Columbia. He previously served as a law clerk at the Supreme Court of Canada, advised judges at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and Special Court for Sierra Leone, and was lead criminal justice advisor and in-house legal counsel to the prime minister of Canada. In addition to policy papers and journal articles, Perrin has authored several books including Overdose, Victim Law, and Criminal Law. He lives in Vancouver.
Award History
2024 Finalist
Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writingfor Indictment: The Criminal Justice System on Trial
Jury Citation
“Gripping and timely, Indictment delivers a powerful vision for a complete transformation of Canada’s criminal justice system. Drawing on interviews with frontline workers, survivors of crime, and repeat offenders, Benjamin Perrin masterfully weaves together vivid case studies with the latest research on how to create a safer society for all. Shared experiences from marginalized groups, such as Indigenous people and Black Canadians, shape Perrin’s trauma-informed proposals to tackle everything from the opioid crisis to the problems with current jails. This beautifully written and rigorous critique is sure to enlighten any reader and offers fresh ideas and vital information to policymakers for overdue justice.”
—2024 Shaughnessy Cohen Prize Jury (Joanna Chiu, Dale Eisler, and Kathleen Wynne)
