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The Honorable Nathan Deal, Governor
Members of the Georgia General Assembly
Citizens of the state of Georgia
It is my honor as Chairman of the State Board of Pardons and Paroles to present the agency’s Fiscal Year 2015 Annual Report.
Criminal Justice Reforms, in Georgia, led by Governor Nathan Deal, continue to make all Georgians safer. During FY15, new reforms were implemented through legislation and the Parole Board was a key partner and stakeholder in the successful implementation of those initiatives.
The fiscal year brought fundamental change to how community supervision of felony offenders in Georgia is performed. The introduction and passage of House Bill 310 created the new Department of Community Supervision (DCS). This new state agency now supervises those felony offenders released on parole as well as state probationers and specific juvenile felony offenders serving community sentences. This new level of supervision is making our state safer. The Board fully supported this improved level of community supervision and the agency was a key participant in the creation and start-up of DCS. We continue to assist DCS so that Georgians remain safe in their communities.
As a result of this action, the Board moved swiftly to restructure our organization in order to continue to perform our constitutional authority to determine which offenders are deserving of parole and doing so with public safety remaining as our primary goal.
As a result, we now have a stronger Board, supported by a professional staff of committed employees who perform their jobs and responsibilities daily with a shared focus of protecting the public. Our parole decisions are data driven and made with absolute confidence as a result of many hours of work by these professionals.
Additionally during FY15, the Parole Board improved the pardon process in Georgia. Granting a pardon to a law-abiding individual who is deserving through their commitment to do what is
right and put the past behind them is an important act of forgiveness on the part of the state. Though a pardon does not erase or expunge an ex-offender's criminal record, it may provide that person an opportunity to continue serving the community as a productive citizen. In FY15, the Board acted to give victims a voice in this process. Legislation that followed further enhanced the process which now results in a notification process for victims and prosecutors when an ex-offender has applied for a pardon. The Board has implemented these changes improving the overall pardon process.
These are just a few of the changes and highlights that mark FY15 for the State Board of Pardons and Paroles. The state of Georgia has a strong Parole Board that remains committed to public safety for all Georgians. We hope you find this annual report informative. Thank you,
State Board of Pardons and Paroles Fiscal Year 2015 Annual Report