Georgia Parole Review Fall 2022/Winter 2023 Ga Parole Review Fall 2022/Winter 2023 | Page 8

ENGAGING, EDUCATING, ENCOURAGING & ENHANCING

Georgia Parole Review

8

The State Board of Pardons and Paroles

continues to engage stakeholders and that

includes government agencies and community

groups. 

The Rotary Club of Rockdale County was

interested as a stakeholder. Parole Board Vice

Chair Jacqueline Bunn spoke to the club.

“It was an honor to share insights about

Georgia’s clemency process with such an

enthusiastic group of Rotarians. Members

asked meaningful questions.

The Rotary Club of Rockdale County focuses on

building professional and personal

relationships. Members have a heart for

service. It was wonderful to learn that the

club's president recently received national

recognition for his efforts.  Meeting with the

group was an inspiring start to 2023," Bunn

said.

Executive Director Chris Barnett and Clemency

Director Crystal Moon also attended.

Stakeholder engagement includes supporting

criminal justice partners to include the Georgia

Department of Community Supervision (DCS)

programming and the Hall County REACT

Program.

Georgia Parole leadership is partnering with

the Northeastern Judicial Circuit and Hall

County to facilitate successful offender

outcomes. Parole Board Member David Herring

and Executive Director Chris Barnett met with

Superior Court Judge Jason Deal regarding Hall

County’s REACT program.

“Judge Deal has been on the forefront of

innovative diversion and reentry programs in

Georgia,” says Herring. “We had a very

successful meeting with a shared goal of

increasing opportunities for more offenders to

benefit from treatment and the program here

in Hall County,” added Herring.

DCS officials as well as local law enforcement,

the district attorney’s office and public

defender’s office are among those involved in

the Re-entry Accountability Court Transition

(REACT) program. The purpose of the program

is to help inmates find gainful employment in

an effort to reduce recidivism rates.

The Parole Board supported DCS Day Reporting

Center Graduates in Gainesville last November.