About
Victor Beltran Roman
Victor Beltran Roman is an Adjunct Researcher and Professor at Universidad Diego Portales, School of Law (Chile), and a Ph.D. (ABD) in Law. He holds an LL.M. in Legal Institutions from the University of Wisconsin Law School, and an LL.B. from Universidad Diego Portales.
With interdisciplinary training that blends legal studies and empirical research, Victor's research focuses on the dynamics between prosecutors and police in criminal investigations, analyzing how investigative processes impact justice outcomes. He's also interested in miscarriages of justice research, broadly defined.
In addition to their academic work, his practical experience spans roles at the Idaho Innocence Project and The Albarado Law Firm, P.C., where he contributed to cases focused on post-conviction relief and wrongful convictions, immigration and criminal matters in the U.S. He has also worked in Chile as a private defense attorney, represented victims in criminal cases, and completed an internship with the Public Prosecution Service's Anti-Narcotics Unit.
Victor is recognized for his dedication to producing impactful scholarship, with publications in law journals and contributions to collaborative projects focused on justice reform and policy innovation. Beyond academia, he actively leads educational initiatives, designing programs and resources that equip students with practical and theoretical insights in criminal law and procedure. A frequent presenter at national and international conferences, Victor has shared his research globally, engaging in rich dialogue with scholars and practitioners from diverse legal systems and cultural backgrounds.
See full CV here
In the Media
Recent Activities
1/6
Research
Articles
2024
- Beltrán, V.; Duce, M. (2024). Examining Wrongful Convictions in Chile: An Analysis of Supreme Court exonerations in 2007-2023. Crime & Delinquency.
- Beltrán, V.; Duce, M. (2024). ¿ Wrongful Convictions in Latin America: A systematic review of literature (2010-2023). The Wrongful Conviction Law Review.
- Beltrán, V. (2024). Unveiling the path to police reform: exploring the implementation of police oversight mechanisms in the City of Madison. Oñati socio-legal series.
- Beltrán, V.; Duce, M. (2024). ¿Cuánto sabemos en América Latina sobre condenas e imputaciones erróneas? Una revisión sistemática de la literatura disponible en el período 2010-2023. Revista Brasileña de Derecho Procesal Penal, 10(1), e9328.
2023
- Beltrán, V. (2023). Impugnación de la admisibilidad de la declaración del imputado por falta de voluntariedad. Perspectivas y soluciones. Revista Chilena de Derecho, 50(2), pp. 133-155.
2022
- Beltrán, V. (2022). Confesiones y riesgos de condenas e imputaciones erróneas: identificación de algunos aspectos problemáticos en Chile. Revista Brasileña de Derecho Procesal Penal, 8 (2), pp. 601-651.
- Beltrán, V. (2022). Declaraciones espontáneas del imputado durante entrevistas informales. Comentario a la sentencia Rol N° 29.950-19 de 10 de febrero de 2020 de la Corte Suprema. Política Criminal, 17 (34), pp. 885-896.
2021
- Beltran, V. (2021). ¿Pueden realizar diligencias de investigación funcionarias o funcionarios municipales de seguridad ciudadana?. Revista Estudiantil de Derecho Procesal.
- Beltrán, V. (2021). Innocent in the Dark: Preservation of Biological Evidence in the Chilean Criminal Procedure. The Wrongful Conviction Law Review, 2 (3), 277-304.
- Beltrán, V. (2021). ¿Existen barreras de acceso al procedimiento de reclamos por controles de identidad preventivos abusivos o denigratorios? Aproximación desde una investigación exploratoria. Revista Ius Novum, 14 (1), pp. 88-125.
- Beltrán, V. (2021). Visión de túnel: algunas reflexiones sobre el impacto de sesgos cognitivos y otros factores en la toma de decisiones en la justicia criminal. Revista de Estudios de la Justicia, 34 (1), pp. 17-58.
- Beltrán, V. (2021). Litigando visión de túnel: Análisis y reflexiones sobre el caso Colina. Revista Justicia & Derecho, 4 (1), pp. 1-18.
- Beltrán, V. (2021). Visión de túnel y persecución penal: Comentario a la sentencia absolutoria del Tribunal de Juicio Oral en lo Penal de Colina RIT 1-2019. Revista Justicia & Derecho, 4 (1), pp.1-11.
2020
- Beltrán, V. (2020). Reforma policial: Una aproximación a la supervisión ciudadana de las policías en Estados Unidos. Revista de Derecho Público, 93 (2), pp. 1-31.
- Beltrán, V.; Peredo, S. (2020). Modelos de Control Constitucional: Claves para el diseño institucional en Chile. Contexto.
- Beltrán, V.; Preminger, D. (2020). Inteligencia artificial en el Sistema de justiciar criminal: Algunas reflexiones sobre su aplicación en el derecho chileno. Revista de Derecho Aplicado LLM UC, 5 (1), pp. 1-17.
Book chapters
2024
- 2024 Beltrán, V.; Schönsteiner, J. (2024). Dos desafíos en materia de seguridad: protección a las y los operadores de justicia y contratación de personal de seguridad municipal. In: Carmona, C.; Fuentes, C.; Schönsteiner, J. (Eds.), Informe Anual sobre Derechos Humanos en Chile. Ediciones UDP.
- Beltrán, V. (2024) ¿Tengo derecho a guardar silencio? Declaraciones espontáneas dadas por el imputado durante entrevistas informales. In: Poblete, O; Cilveti, F. (Eds.), Las partes en el proceso. IX Jornadas Nacionales de Derecho Procesal. Tirant lo Blanch.
2023
- Beltrán, V.; Torres, A.; Schönsteiner, J. (2023). Medidas estatales en materia de seguridad. In: Carmona, C; Schönsteiner, J. (Eds.), Informe Anual sobre Derechos Humanos en Chile. Ediciones UDP.
2021
- Beltrán, V. (2021). Justicia en tiempos de pandemia: sobre la viabilidad del juicio oral virtual en Idaho. In: Universidad del Este, Anuario: principales actividades de la Facultad de Derecho y Ciencias Sociales de la Universidad del Este (año 2020). Universidad del Este.
Columns and Op-Eds
2024
- Nuevas medidas de protección para jueces y fiscales: un escudo necesario, aunque con desafíos pendientes. El Mercurio Legal, August 16, 2024.
- Evolución en la investigación penal. Cómo el trabajo de fiscales y policías puede marcar la diferencia. El Dínamo, July 3, 2024.
- Caso Cañete: Inteligencia del Estado y perspectiva de Derechos Humanos. CIPER Chile, May 02, 2024. Couthored with Judith Schönsteinter y Angelica Torres.
- Caso Fuente-Alba. La Tercera, May 18, 2024.
- Competencia y debido proceso en el fútbol chileno. CIPER Chile, March 13, 2024. Coauthored with Hernán González.
2023
- Las “confesiones espontáneas” en las decisiones de la Corte Suprema. El Mercurio Legal, June 09, 2023.
- ¿Fortalecimiento y protección de la función policial?. Diario Constitucional, April 19, 2023. Coauthored with Angélica Torres.
- Retroceso en justicia en la constitución. La Tercera. Coauthored with Angélica Torres.
2021
- ¿Participación ciudadana en la supervisión de las policías?. Policía & Democracia, April 26, 2021.
Selected presentations and academic conferences
2025
- Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, 62nd Annual Meeting, paper presentation: “Challenges in Homicide and Organized Crime Investigations in Chile: The case of ECOH task forces.” (scheduled)
2024
- American Society of Criminology, 41st Annual Conference, paper presentation: “Exploring Prosecutor-Police Dynamics in Criminal Investigations: Insights from Functional Direction in Chile's Accusatorial System.” (scheduled)
- Crime and Punishment in Latin America Workshop (Argentina), paper presentation: “Articulating the prosecutor-police investigative relationship in Chile: reactive and analytical approaches to prosecutorial functional direction of the police.” (scheduled)
- European Society of Criminology, 24th Annual Conference, paper presentation: “Portrait of Prosecutor-Police Dynamics in Criminal Investigations: Exploring Prosecutor's Functional Direction of the Police.”
- Universidad de Mendoza (Argentina), guest lecturer: “Witnessess confrontation and trial strategies.”
- Diego Portales Law School, Doctoral Seminar, paper presentation: “Five models of prosecutorial functional direction”
- Law & Society Chile’s 3rd Conference, paper presentation: “How do prosecutors exercise functional direction of the police? Exploring prosecutor-police dynamics in criminal investigations”
- Chilean Society of Criminology’s 4thConvention, paper presentation: “How do prosecutors exercise functional direction of the police? Exploring prosecutor-police dynamics in criminal investigations”
- 4th Chilean Conference on Evidence Law, paper presentation: “Decision-making in criminal investigation: an empirical approach at the prosecutor involvement in directing police activities”.
- Chile’s 1st Convention of Law and Technology, paper presentation: “Some challenges for the relationship between prosecutors and police in the investigation of flagrant crimes. A look from the integration of technology.”
2023
- INECIP Argentina, talk: “Wrongful Convictions and prosecution in Latin America.”
- Diego Portales Law School, talk: “Tunnel vision and criminal prosecution.”
2022
- IX Jornadas Nacionales de Derecho Procesal, paper presentation: “Do I have the right to remain silent?”
- Slam on Criminal Law (3MT), talk: “Successes, errors, and horrors: The consequences of the work of police and prosecutors.”
- Diego Portales University, poster presentation: “¿Qué sabemos (y no) de los interrogatories policiales en Chile?”
- Technological University of Peru, talk: “Tunnel vision and criminal prosecution”
- Señor de Sipán University of Peru, talk: “Confessions and the risks of wrongful convictions”
2021
- California Western School of Law, talk: “Errors in the adversarial criminal justice system”
- Alianza Interamericana de Abogacía Oral, talk: “Introduction to wrongful convictions”
- Diego Portales Law School, talk: “Tunnel vision and criminal prosecution.”
2020
- Chilean Society of Criminology 1st Congress, paper presentation: “Confronting Police Reform: Civilian Oversight in Madison.”
- Idaho Innocence Project at Boise State University, talk: “Tunnel vision and criminal prosecution.”
2019
- Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, talk: “Preventive stop and identify in Chile.”
2018
- Universidad Diego Portales, talk: “Preventive stop and identify and the right to assembly”
2017
- Universidad Arturo Prat, talk: “Socio-legal research as undergrad student.”
Teaching
Experience
Victor is an educator in law and criminal justice, teaching both undergraduate and graduate courses at Universidad Diego Portales and other schools. His teaching portfolio includes key subjects like Criminal Procedure, Litigation Skills, Legal Research and Writing, and Competitive Mock Trial, along with advanced topics on Wrongful Convictions, Defendant’s Statements, and Evidence Issues. With a commitment to bridging theory and practice, Victor prepares his students for the complexities of the legal field, fostering critical skills and insights for future professionals.
Taught Courses
Law School Teaching
2024-2
- Litigation Skills, Universidad Diego Portales.
- Criminal Procedure, Universidad Diego Portales.
- Competitive Mock Trial, Universidad Diego Portales.
2024-1
- Legal Research and Writing, Universidad Diego Portales.
- Criminal Procedure, Universidad Diego Portales.
2023-2
- Directed Research, Universidad Diego Portales.
- Competitive Mock Trial, Universidad Diego Portales.
- Criminal Procedure, Universidad Diego Portales.
2023-1
- Criminal Justice Seminar, Universidad Diego Portales.
- Legal Research and Writing, Universidad Diego Portales.
- Criminal Procedure, Universidad Diego Portales.
- Directed Research, Universidad Diego Portales.
2022-2
- Criminal Justice Seminar, Universidad Diego Portales.
- Competitive Mock Trial, Universidad Diego Portales.
- Criminal Procedure, Universidad Diego Portales.
2022-1
- Criminal Procedure, Universidad Diego Portales.
Graduate School Teaching
2024-2
- Wrongful Convictions in Chile (master’s degree class), Universidad Austral de Chile, Law School.
2024-1
- Criminal Law and Process (master’s degree class), Universidad Diego Portales, School of Psychology.
2023-2
- Defendant’s statements (diploma course), Universidad Diego Portales, School of Law.
2023-2
- Evidence Issues (diploma course), Universidad Diego Portales, School of Law.
2023-1
- Criminal Law and Process (master’s degree class), Universidad Diego Portales, School of Psychology.
2022-2
- Defendant’s statements (diploma course), Universidad Diego Portales, School of Law.
Teaching Assistant
2019-1
- Substantive Criminal Law II, Universidad Diego Portales, Law School.
2018-2
- Substantive Criminal Law III, Universidad Diego Portales, Law School.
2018-1
- Substantive Criminal Law I, Universidad Diego Portales, Law School.
2017-2
- Substantive Criminal Law II, Universidad Diego Portales, Law School.
2017-1
- Substantive Criminal Law I, Universidad Diego Portales, Law School.
2016-2
- Substantive Criminal Law II, Universidad Diego Portales, Law School.
Mentoring
Victor is committed to mentoring students at various stages of their academic journeys. At Universidad Diego Portales, School of Law, he has supervised both independent research projects and thesis work, providing guidance on research design, hypothesis testing, data collection, and analysis. Beyond academic support, Victor assists students with career development, internationalization, exchange programs, and publication opportunities. He also offers research assistantship roles, fostering practical experience and growth for aspiring scholars.
Get in touch
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