Criminal Justice Reform
The State Board of Pardons and Paroles continues to actively engage stakeholders to ensure public safety for all Georgians. The Parole Board was active during the meetings of the Criminal Justice Reform Council during 2017 and into 2018.
Senior Parole staff attended the council's meetings in October, November, and December and in January of 2018. Director Chris Barnett delivered a presentation to the full council in October.
"The Criminal Justice Reform Council's work over the last six years has produced smart on crime reforms that have enhanced public safety throughout the state. The Parole Board is proud to be a partner of such a dynamic team working to keep all Georgians safe," stated Barnett.
Barnett delivered updates on the Board's implementation of legislative changes adopted as a result of criminal justice reform proposals.
Barnett and senior staff recently met with Superior Court Judges Andrew Fuller and Jason Deal of the Northeastern Judicial Circuit on a possible proposal to include accountability court programming for parolees.
"This could be another opportunity to get offenders who are not a threat to public safety, the treatment they need to be successful. Judge Deal's drug court and Chief Judge Fuller's REACT court are models of success," said Barnett.
The Board continues to work on the proposal.
The Parole Board meets monthly at its central office in Atlanta but also has departed from that process by taking the meetings to local communities. Such was the case in October when the Board held the meeting in Cordele.
At the Cordele meeting, the Board recognized their colleague and Crisp County native Jacqueline Bunn for her twenty years of state service.
Clemency, Field Services and the Georgia Office of Victim Services provided updates for the Board.
During the past several months the Board Members as well as parole leadership have actively engaged stakeholders and partners to include the Department of Community Supervision, the Sexual Offender Registration Review Board (SORRB), and law enforcement. The Board is working with SORRB to develop a separate guidelines rating system for offenders convicted of sex crimes. The goal is to ensure the Board has the most modern tools to make informed decisions on parole eligible sex offenders.
Board and Stakeholder Meetings
Chairman James Mills presided over his first monthly meeting of the Parole Board last August. The meetings are conducted to discuss agency operations.
Georgia Parole Review
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