Georgia Parole Review Summer/Fall 2010 State Board of Pardons and Paroles Chairman's Message Dear State Board of Pardons and Paroles, in July we celebrated fully completing this mission. One of the annual week set aside for deserved recognition given to our the many ways we will be successful in parole officers and our colleagues in probation and community doing this is through "interoperability." supervision. I again give my sincere gratitude to those field staff We can achieve more through partner- who have the tough job of supervising offenders in our commu- ships. We can optimize our precious nities. The best occupation is working with people who need resources by joining forces with the help. It is easy to lock people up; having these offenders on the Georgia Department of Corrections. It streets and supervising them, that's the difficult job. However I only makes sense for these two agen- also want to take the time to thank all staff who work for this cies to utilize each other in order for us agency because as you are keenly aware, it is all of you working to improve and give offenders more together that makes our system work extremely well. Even if opportunities to stay out of prison. We Chairman you don't work directly with a parolee you are critical to his or must work together. It makes much James E. Donald her success because of the responsibilities that you perform. more sense to supervise an offender on the street at less than $5 a day, than to spend nearly $50 to keep I was excited when Governor Sonny Perdue appointed me to the him locked up. If we're afraid of them, lock them up, if we're Board in January of 2009. My enthusiasm continues to grow and only mad at them, let's be smarter and find ways to help them I'm honored to lead following the Board vote electing me as make it in the community. Yes, penalize them for their actions Chairman. Many of you know my background which includes but do so at a smarter rate while still keeping the public safe. We leading troops into battle. You will hear me say that I've jumped can no longer afford to be the nation's fifth largest prison system from airplanes and dodged "green tracer." Those were the chal- while only being the 9th largest state. lenges of a lifetime. They prepared me for what I consider my biggest challenge however, and that's working to make state gov- For ourselves, I believe we should manage by the acronym, ACT, ernment operate better and more efficiently. Yes, leading this which stands for "Accountability, Communication and Team- agency is the biggest and hardest challenge to date for me. How- work." We must be accountable in what we do and to one an- ever it really is an opportunity. It is "our" biggest opportunity. I other. We must tear down walls that impede communications and am proud of you and the successes of this agency. At the same we must work as a team if we are to succeed. As we move for- time it's not about resting on our laurels. We need to be focused ward I am looking for your valuable ideas. I want to hear from on a strategy that makes us better. We shouldn't define ourselves you. narrowly or restrict ourselves to written responsibilities and du- ties. I believe we have a mission to be even better and always As I stated earlier we should always be improving. I believe we improve. should be a professional organization and in order to do so we all need to work at expanding our horizons, our knowledge base and Public safety will always be our number one priority. Regarding our expertise. If we do so, we will together improve our agency, the offender, we need to focus on rehabilitation, restitution and complete our mission and improve Georgia for all its citizens. restoration. As an agency we have defined success as a continu- ous and sustained rate of improvement in the percentage of parol- I close by saying, the true character of a leader is how he or she ees who successfully complete parole, and we're right to do so. responds when given authority and power. I will work very hard But I challenge you to think broader. An equally important meas- to earn your trust in that regard. Finally, I trust you, I trust you to urement of success is a continuous and sustained declining per- do your job and that is also what gives me great enthusiasm to centage of offenders who recidivate. We must focus on this lead. broader mission as a state and we all must play a role in success- Sincerely, Also inside this issue: Nail to lead as Director of Parole Hearing Examiners Save State Money Interoperability and Justice Reinvestment Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles Chairman James E. Donald Vice Chairman Albert R. Murray Member L Gale Buckner Member Robert E. Keller Member Terry E. Barnard Page 2 GEORGIA PAROLE REVIEW Appointment of New Director of Parole New Director of Parole, Michael Nail was appointed unanimously to the position by the State Board of Pardons and Paroles during the July 6, 2010 Board Meeting. Nail transferred from the Department of Corrections where he served as the Director of the Corrections Division. "Michael Nail is one of the most qualified leaders I've had the pleasure of working with over the years. He brings with him a wealth of experience in corrections and community supervision," said James Donald, Board Chairman. Michael Nail began his career with the Department of Correc- tions as a probation officer in 1989. He has held several manage- New Parole Director Michael Nail is welcomed by ment and leadership positions in the field of probation to include Parole Board Chairman James E. Donald at the July Director of Probation Training, Director of Probation and Deputy 6, 2010 Board Meeting. Director of the Corrections Division. As Director of the Correc- tions Division he was responsible for the day-to-day oversight of Facility Operations, Probation Operations and Special Operations. Collectively, these operations are responsi- ble for the management and supervision of over 150,000 adult felony probationers and over 60,000 adult fel- ony inmates. Nail says he's humbled by the opportunity to lead the agency. "This is an awesome responsibility that I am ready to embrace with all that I have. Having worked in corrections and closely with parole I know what a great agency this is and what an opportunity this is." Murray Honored at National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice Conference Parole Board Vice Chairman Albert R. Murray was recently honored with the distinguished "Presidential Award" by the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice (NABCJ). It is the highest award bestowed by the NABCJ. Murray was honored at NABCJ's 37th Annual Conference and Training Institute held in Atlanta, in July. NABCJ President Robert Matthews called Mr. Murray, "A truly dedicated man with an outstanding criminal justice career." Matthews added, "He continues to add on to his great wealth of knowledge as is evidenced by his recent appointment to the Board of Pardons and Paroles. The Board and Georgia will continue to benefit from Albert's experience." Vice Chairman Albert Murray Murray sits on the Board of Directors for NABCJ, as the Southeast Region Representative. "I am honored and very surprised by this award. I was unaware that NABCJ had chosen to honor me in this manner until the conference was underway. NABCJ is one of the oldest and most distinguished organizations with a mission of improving criminal justice best practices and also recognizing the special achievements of minorities in the field and I'm proud to be associated with this organization." Murray is the 30th professional to be honored by NABCJ with the award. Page 3 Parole Board Hearing Examiners Recognized for Streamlining Review Process Through the State's Employee Suggestion Program (ESP), Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles Hearing Examiners Joe McAdoo and Scott Reaves have been awarded $2,500 each for saving Georgia taxpayers an estimated $2.9 million. These Hearing Examiners were responsible for developing an improved process for more efficiently managing the parole eligibility dates (PED) for a small category of mostly low level, non-violent inmates. The total potential cost avoidance to the state as a result of the PED project is estimated to exceed $12.5 million. McAdoo and Reaves received the recognition during the State Personnel Board's meeting in July. The recognition and monetary awards are part of a program that rewards state employees who are able to save the state money through innovative ideas. Employees are encouraged to submit suggestions for improving operations and efficiency through the Employee Suggestion Program to assist the State in fulfilling its commitment to serving the public effectively. Eligible employees whose suggestions are adopted may receive awards under the provisions of this Rule. Since the inception of the PED project, nearly 600 files have been reviewed and 94 inmates have been paroled. A total of 2,081 months of incarceration costs were avoided. The Parole Board's PED project was recommended for consideration to the State Personnel Board by the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC). Parole Board Chairman James E. Donald believes there are more ways out there to save taxpayers money. "This is a tremendous example of thinking outside the box. We need more of it in state government, (l-r) Clemency Director Walt Davis, Budget Director Beth Oxford, Hearing Examiner Scott Reaves, Parole Board Chairman James Donald and Hearing Examiner Joe McAdoo especially these days. I want to personally thank these two employees for teaming with the GDC and going beyond their written responsibilities as Parole Hearing Examiners." Joe McAdoo joined the Board of Pardons and Paroles in 1992 and has 22 years with the state of Georgia. He was promoted from Parole Officer to Hearing Examiner in 2003. Scott Reaves has 21 years with the state of Georgia, all with the Parole Board and has worked as a Parole Officer prior to his promotion to Hearing Examiner in 2004. McAdoo and Reaves are finalists for a Governor's Customer Service Award. Offender to Firefighter: Parolee Continues on Path to Success Parolee Jose Mendez served three and half years on a drug conviction but as a result of hard work he earned a GED and due to his record was allowed to enter "On the Job Training" as an Institutional Firefighter and was certified as a Firefighter 1 by the Department of Corrections. During his incarceration Mendez was assigned to the Faith and Character Dorm. He later advanced to become a First Responder and upon his release joined the Macon County Volunteer Fire Department. After applying at several fire departments, in March 2010 he was hired as a part-time firefighter by the Houston County Fire Department. Fire Chief Jimmy Williams describes Mendez as a valued employee. "He's a quick learner, a hard worker, and a good guy," says Williams. While still seeking full-time employment as a firefighter, Mendez is working at a local food processing plant. Parole Officer Jhoskesia Manigault, in the Americus Office, says Mendez has done very well while under supervision. In a recent local newspaper article Mendez is praised as a "hero" by the mother of a young son who Mendez spent time with and helped get the boy to his baseball practices. Page 4 GEORGIA PAROLE REVIEW "Interoperability" Workshops Produce Recommendations From the Field Justice Reinvestment Renewed I'm sure you've heard these sayings; "You need to be ees, and information and technology sharing. doing it better and smarter than the other guy," and, "we've seen the enemy and he is us." With the state Some of the recommendations are already occurring budget situation as it is, and in order not to become to some degree such as the consolidation of some pro- the enemy, the Board of Pardons and Paroles is look- bation and parole offices to reduce state leases of ing at ways to make improvements. property and information sharing to include parole gaining access to corrections' inmate data base, for "Notwithstanding more budget reduction measures, example. Other recommendations if deemed appro- we should be ensuring our processes are as efficient as priate by leadership may require legislation or may ever. Only then can we say we are doing the best pos- not be possible due to legal issues. Still the effort is sible job for Georgia," says Parole Board Chairman expected to pay dividends resulting in cost savings for James Donald. both agencies and Georgia's taxpayers. In July, Chair- Director Nail says ensuring public safety remains both man Donald agencies' top priority and no decisions will compro- and Correc- mise that mission. "At the end of the day we hope and tions Com- expect that many of these recommendations will be missioner implemented and will prove to be not only a cost sav- Brian Owens ings, but result in a more efficient delivery of services addressed a by both agencies." joint meeting of Parole and While designed in part to meet necessary budget re- Probation ductions, another major reason for the Chiefs which Parole and Corrections staff give recom- "interoperability" focus, is to reinvest savings into im- was followed mendations during "Interoperability" work- portant areas such as education. In Georgia, one in 13 up in August shop. people are under some type of correctional supervi- by "Interoperability" workshops involving both agen- sion compared nationally to one in 30. Long-term says cies led by Director of Parole Michael Nail and Assis- Nail, "We want to take dollars saved by these changes tant Corrections Commissioner Derrick Schofield. and reinvest them on the front end. Government in- carcerates, medicates and educates. We want the pri- Specific focus groups were formed pertaining to field ority to be on educating our youth and reducing the supervision, training, business processes/office con- number of solidation, sex offender management, problem resi- negative out- dences, program delivery, re-entry and faith and char- comes and acter based initiatives. Specific attention was given to t h e r e f o r e , opportunities to positively impact the service, cost, l o n g - t e r m speed and quality in these areas. reducing the number of 55 recommendations were presented to leadership as a people com- result of the meetings. Among them was combining ing under training for probation and parole officers, combining probation and parole offices, combining treatment corrections supervision Parole Board Member Terry Barnard (center) and Director Nail (right) get feed- programming to include both probationers and parol- in Georgia." back from Parole Chiefs. Page 5 Victims Visitors' Day in Dalton Forty groups of victims of crime met with Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles staff at the Victims Visitors' Day held at the Whitfield County Courthouse in Dalton, Georgia August 31, 2010. Parole Board Hearing Examiners were able to give specific details to the victims about their offenders. Board members were also present to answer any questions and many victims said they appreciated the presence of the Board at the daylong event. Parole Board Chairman James Donald spoke at the opening ceremony and said, "We are all victims." Donald says he reminds offenders that, "victims have a vote to," in reference to whether that offender is released early on parole. Many victims want to know about the offender's parole chances and attend in order to protest any early release. In the individual appointments with staff, scheduled throughout the day, emotions sometimes run high and many victims say they're glad someone is willing to listen. The Victims Visitors' Day for most victims, offers the only chance they will ever have to speak directly to a Parole Board member. The event was hosted by the Conasauga Judicial Cir- cuit Victim-Witness Assistance Program, the Georgia Depart- ment of Corrections and the Parole Board. The State Office of (left to right): Representative Roger Williams, Board Member Robert Parole Board Staff listen to victims Victim Services can be Keller, Representative Tom Dickson, Sheriff Scott Chitwood, District reached at 404-651- Attorney Kermit McManus, GDC Probation Director Stan Cooper, 6 6 6 8 . S h a l a n d r a Chaplain Nancy Garrison, Chairman James Donald, Board Member Gale Robertson is director. Buckner and Board Vice Chair Albert Murray Parole Officers Assist in Sweep of Sex Offenders State Board of Pardons and Paroles officers assisted in Operation Heat Wave August 1719, 2010 in Atlanta. 57 warrants were executed during the sweep mostly on sex offenders. Four North Fulton officers took part in the sweep including ACPO Chris Washington, SPOs Rodney Akins, Florence Brown and Shekevia Hawkins, as did South Metro SPO Chris Kimner. Kimner says, "Joint operations such as this not only place fugitives in custody and promote a higher level of public safety, but also develop our relationships with our brothers and sisters in the field of law enforcement." Joining the Parole Officers in the sweep Lt. Col. Jeffrey Holmes of the Fulton County Sheriff's Office speaks were more than 100 law enforcement offi- to the media. Pictured from Parole; Assistant Director of Field Op- cers from agencies including the Fulton erations Jay Hancock, Senior Parole Officer Chris Kimner, Chief County Sheriff's Office, the Atlanta Police Parole Officers Ken Morrow and Felicia Holloway, Assistant Director Department, the U.S. Marshals Service and of Field Operations David Morrison and Assistant Chief Parole Officer Chris Washington. the state Department of Corrections. Page 6 GEORGIA PAROLE REVIEW Lacienski, Morrison Join Field Operations Jay Lacienski has been appointed as Director of Field Operations for the State Board of Pardons and Paroles. Lacienski had served as Southeast Region Director until his promotion September 16th. Parole Director Michael Nail says, "Jay has proven his leadership in many positions during his career. He's exceptionally qualified." Lacienski began his career with the Parole Board in 1983. As Director of Field Operations, Lacienski oversees the state's 48 parole districts. Additionally, David Morrison has been promoted from Interstate Compact Administrator to Assistant Director of Field Operations. Morrison began his career with the Pa- Assistant Field Operations Director Jay Hancock, Warrants and role Board in 1999 as a Parole Officer in the Marietta Pa- Violations Unit, Field Operations Director Jay Lacienski and Assis- role Office. Morrison oversees regional operations. tant Field Operations Director David Morrison Jay Hancock is also an Assistant Director of Field Operations in charge of the Warrants and Violations Unit. Hancock has served in that position since 2003. He began his career with the Parole Board in 1986. 51st Basic Parole Officer Training Course Class Parole Board Chairman James Donald (2nd row center), Parole Director Michael Nail (2nd row far right), and training staff pose with the fourteen new parole officers at the graduation ceremony September 3, 2010. See next page for full story. Page 7 New Parole Officers Hit the Streets Fourteen new Parole Officers are on duty following their graduation Friday, September 3, 2010. The State Board of Pardons and Paroles' 51st Basic Parole Officer Training Course (BPOTC) graduation ceremony was held at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center (GPSTC) in Forsyth. New Parole Officers take the Oath of Office from Director of Parole Michael Nail Parole Board Chairman James E. Donald delivered the commencement address and told the new officers to, "Remember the vital role you play in public safety." Chairman Donald said considering it costs nearly $50 per day to incarcerate an offender and less than $5 per day to supervise a parolee, "You as parole officers provide a cost effective way to manage ex-offenders in the community while keeping the public safe." Parole Officers are classified as Georgia Peace Officers and must successfully complete an eight week Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.), Basic Training Course. Course work includes supervision techniques, investigation procedures, intervention strategies, criminal and Georgia law, Parole Board policy and procedure, interview skills, physical fitness, arrest procedures, defensive tactics, computer interaction and firearms qualification. The training includes certification to use a Board issued service weapon. With the addition of this class the Board now employs 304 parole officers Parole Officer Adam Thompson who supervise nearly 23,000 parolees statewide. The average caseload per Performance Award parole officer is 75. They work to transition offenders back into the com- munity using a balanced approach of surveillance and treatment intervention. Parolees in Georgia report at least once a month and in addition, parole officers make sched- uled and unscheduled visits to the parolees' residences, em- ployers and treatment providers to ensure compliance. 51st BPOTC President Kindu Franklin addressed his class and in reference to his veteran parole officers statewide he stated, "On behalf of the 51st, help is on the way!" Franklin is assigned to the Macon Parole Office. Class President Kindu Franklin delivers his remarks to the 51st BPOTC Class as Training Director Bert Flewellen listens. 51st BPOTC: Gerard Armorer, South Metro, Jerry Black (Top Student Award), Lawrenceville, Blair Carson, Adairsville, Tiffany Clark, South Metro, Thomas Currie, Dublin, Timothy Fleming, Adairsville, Kindu Franklin, Macon, Krystle Hunter, South Metro, Courtney Kendrew, Jonesboro, Elizabeth Langford, Conyers, Ransom McArthur, Cordele, Yalonda Rawl, Savannah, Jo-Ann Sanchez-Cotto, Marietta, Adam Thompson, (Performance Award) Carrollton see awards on last page State Board of Pardons and Paroles www.pap.state.ga.us Fifth Floor, East Tower Floyd Veterans Memorial Building 2Martin Luther King, Jr., Drive, S.E. Atlanta, Georgia 30334 Phone: 404-656-5651 Public Safety Is Our First Priority Our Mission To enhance public safety by making informed parole decisions and successfully transitioning offenders back into the community. Our Vision A parole system that leads to a safe Georgia. Our Core Values We value Ethics, Integrity, Fairness and Honesty. Promotions, Retirements and Announcements Diane Avery, Confidential Secretary, Central Office, retired August 1, 2010 with 34 years of service. Bert Flewellen promoted to Director of Training, effective August 1, 2010, previously Academy Director of Parole. Danny A. Bass retired August 1, 2010, from the Professional Standards Compliance Unit with 29 years of service. Joseph Seaborn Goff, Parole Officer, retired July 1, 2010 from the Americus Parole Office with 30 years and 5 months of service. George Braucht, Transitional Support, June Central Office Customer Service Award Winner. Kenneth Haines, Transitional Support Services, June Central Office Customer Service Award Winner. William Curry promoted to Assistant Chief Parole Officer in the Cordele Parole Office, effective September 16, 2010. Carl L. DeLoach Jr., Parole Office Manager, retired July 1, 2010 from the Louisville Parole Office with 34 years of service. Necole Farrow, Senior Secretary, Macon Parole Office, received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Information Technology from Macon State College on May 7, 2010. Jenna James promoted to Interstate Compact Administrator, effective September 1, 2010. Previously Field Operations Officer for the Central Region. Jay Lacienski promoted to Director of Field Operations effective September 16, 2010. Previously Newton "Mad Dog" Maddox, Training Director, retired July 31, 2010 with 34 years of service. Ronnie Mays, Parole Officer, Macon Parole Office, returned from deployment on June 1, 2010. He had been deployed to Afghanistan since January 2009. He was recently promoted to Sergeant First Class. Constance McCrary, Budget, August Central Office Customer Service Award Winner. David Morrison promoted to Assistant Director of Field Operations effective August 16, 2010. Previously Interstate Compact Administrator. Patrick Thornton, Parole Officer, retired July 1, 2010, from the Brunswick Parole Office with 30 years of service. James "Jimi" Williams Jr. promoted to Assistant Chief Parole Officer in the Monroe Office effective September, 2010. 51st BPOTC Awards: Top Student and Academic Award, Jerry Black, Lawrenceville. Performance Award and 1st Place Firearms Award, Adam Thompson, Carrollton. 2nd Place Firearms Award, Thomas Currie, Dublin. 3rd Place Firearms Award, Blair Carson, Adairsville. Jim Sikes promoted to Assistant Chief Parole Officer of the Macon Office, effective September 20, 2010. Wanda Smith-Grier, Clemency/Records, July Central Office Customer Service Award Winner. Published by the Public Affairs Office Steve Hayes Director Contact 404.651.5690