Board Supports Crime Victims
Victim information is important and is considered by the Parole Board Members when determining whether an offender will be paroled. The State Board of Pardons and Paroles serves crime victims through the Georgia Office of Victim Services.
The Georgia Office of Victim Services delivers post sentence victim services to registered crime victims in Georgia and is one of the three major divisions of the Parole Board.
At the June Board Meeting the Parole Board recognized the Victim Support Partners, a program within the Georgia Office of Victim Services. Victim Support Partners is a statewide network of dedicated victim volunteers who support victims and their families.
Parole Board Chairman Terry Barnard presented the "Leadership Award" to Carolyn Preston Taylor at the meeting. Taylor is one of the groups founding victim volunteers.
The Parole Board members meet with crime victims at Victims Visitors’ Days. These full day events are facilitated by the Georgia Office of Victim Services through a local district attorney’s victim-witness assistance office. Board Members travel to a Georgia community and meet face to face with victims to ensure the victim’s voice is heard during the parole decision process.
Watch Parole Board Chairman Terry Barnard speak at the Victims Visitors' Day in Augusta, Georgia on YouTube.
Georgia Parole Review
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This past July, the Georgia Office of Victim Services presented a workshop at the NOVA (National Organization for Victim Assistance) training conference. The title of the presentation was: “Georgia's Unique Approach to Serving Crime Victims Post-Conviction."
The Parole Board was represented by Board Member Jacqueline Bunn, Deputy Executive Director Rita Rocker, Georgia Office of Victim Services Director Shalandra Robertson and her staff, Christopher Toussant and Destiny Brown.
45th NOVA Conference