Fiscal year 2016 annual report

STATE BOARD OF PARDONS AND PAROLES
FISCAL YEAR 2016
ANNUAL REPORT
Nathan Deal, Governor
Terry E. Barnard, Chairman James W. Mills, Vice Chairman
Braxton T. Cotton, Member Brian Owens, Member
Jacqueline Bunn, Esq., Member
STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

MISSION. VISION.

VALUES.

3

ORGANIZATIONAL

4

FY2016 HIGHLIGHTS

6

CHAIRMAN'S LETTER 8

PAROLE BOARD

MEMBERS

10

EXECUTIVE

LEADERSHIP

16

CLEMENCY & PAROLE

CONSIDERATION

18

FIELD SERVICES

28

GA OFFICE OF

VICTIM SERVICES

34

BUDGET SERVICES

38

H U M A N R E S O U R C E S 40

TRAINING

41

OUR MISSION:
To serve the citizens of Georgia by exercising the constitutional authority of executive clemency through informed decision-making, thereby ensuring public safety, protecting victims' rights, and providing offenders with opportunities for positive change.
OUR VISION:
To be the nation's leading paroling authority by; making informed clemency decisions, preparing offenders for positive change through the imposition of practical and constructive release conditions, protecting the public by holding accountable those offenders who violate the conditions of release, ensuring crime victims have a voice in the criminal justice process, fostering positive relationships with all stakeholders, and striving to be a continuously learning organization.
OUR VALUES:
We value Ethics, Integrity, Equity and Innovation.

State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

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VICTIM SERVICES Shalandra Robertson

THE BOARD
Chairman Terry E. Barnard
Vice Chairman James W. Mills
Member Braxton T. Cotton
Member Brian Owens
Member Jacqueline Bunn, Esq.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Christopher L. Barnett
DEPUTY EXEC. DIRECTOR
Rita Rocker

BOARD & LEGAL SERVICES
La'Quandra Smith
Thurman Henderson

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State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

FIELD SERVICES DIRECTOR
Rick Jacobs

SUPPORT OPERATIONS

Communications Steve Hayes

Community & Faith Outreach Anita Cloud

Budget & Fiscal Lisa Reid

Training, Inv. & Compliance Chris Kimner

Human Resources Eris McKennon

Mental Health & EAP Erika Johnson

Governmental Relations Kim Patton-Johnson

DEPUTY DIRECTOR Jenna James
GCIC INTERSTATE ADMIN STAFF
DOM'S VIOLATIONS / SANCTION
DEPUTY DIRECTOR Felecia Holloway

CLEMENCY DIRECTOR James "Bubba" Williams

DEPUTY DIRECTOR Caryl Deems
INVESTIGATIONS PARDON ADMIN. SCANNING/IMAGING
HE'S CONS

DEPUTY DIRECTOR Scott Reaves

State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

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INTRODUCTION TO THE STATE BOARD OF PARDONS AND PAROLES & FISCAL YEAR 2016

Clemency is typically administered today by an independent parole board which performs a vital function if criminal justice is to remain a flexible and continuing process throughout. The Georgia Parole Board's existence ensures that the Executive Branch, in addition to the Legislative and Judicial branches, has a discretionary role in Georgia's Criminal Justice System. Thus it provides a vital part of the checks and balances of Constitutional government.
The principle of separation of powers is upheld when the judiciary's regular involvement in a case ends at the time the offender is sentenced to prison, or all appeals have been exhausted. Then the Parole Board begins monitoring the inmate and drawing knowledge of the case from the courts, law enforcement agencies, prison records, victims and society to form the basis of a just decision to grant or deny clemency.

THE PAROLE CONSIDERATION PROCESS IS COLLABORATIVE
FY 2016 for the State Board of Pardons and Paroles was a year of collaboration with our criminal justice partners and our community stakeholders. By working together and strengthening those relationships, together we are improving public safety. During the fiscal year, with the goal of enhancing public safety in Georgia, the Board leadership and senior management conducted meetings to
The agency is guided by the 4Es:
Engaging Stakeholders
Educating the Community
Eliciting Active Participation
Enhancing Operations
Ultimately, enhanced operations equate to
improved public safety.

inform and educate both our criminal justice partners and stakeholders about the parole consideration process in Georgia and the Board's critical role and responsibility in the criminal justice system. These meetings involved local law enforcement, judges, prosecutors, state, city and county officials, and community leaders.
As a result the agency seeks to involve our criminal justice partners and community stakeholders in the parole consideration process. In doing so, the Board will ensure the best possible parole decisions are the result, serving both the public and the offender.
STAKEHOLDER INPUT
Input into the Board's decision making process is essential to reach our stated goal of enhanced public safety. Input from victims, prosecutors, and judges as well as input from the offender and the offender's family and representatives is necessary and essential for the Board to determine if an offender is ready to return to society and contribute, and if so, when that offender should be released. The

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State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

FY16 was a year
of collaboration
Board allows input regarding a case throughout the entire parole process.
During the fiscal year, the Board developed and put into action an additional solicitation/notification process whereas judges and district attorneys are now notified when the Board, by law, must consider an eligible offender for parole. The process allows the judge and prosecutor to send the Board correspondence regarding the case that reflects current community views.
In a continuing effort to gain victim input, in FY16, the Board conducted three Victims Visitors' Days resulting in more than 400 victims and family members meeting directly with the Board Members in the communities where the victims live. The Board has continued this effort to assist victims by holding these events in communities across Georgia.
UNDERSTANDING THE SCIENTIFIC PAROLE CONSIDERATION PROCESS
The Parole Board members have a comprehensive case file on each offender. Clemency Division investigators construct the file and the members receive a recommendation on parole from the hearing examiner.

For more information regarding the Guidelines consideration process, go to www.pap.georgia.gov.
Although the recommendation is based on scientific measurements, the Board Members have discretion and may add or decrease time for an offender or deny parole. That discretion was granted by the people of Georgia through a 1943 constitutional amendment which created the Board. Discretion is necessary in order to address sentence variances and the discretion utilized by police, prosecutors and judges throughout the judicial process.
The Board's scientific guidelines and risk assessment system, information from victims, the courts, district attorneys, the offender and the public, result in Board decisions that reflect the views of the community and the current state of the criminal justice system in Georgia while keeping Georgians safe.
AN EFFICIENT ELECTRONIC PAROLE CONSIDERATION PROCESS
The Board's parole consideration process is now completely electronic. From data input to voting by the Board Member, the process is paperless and completely electronic. During FY16 the Board completed the conversion of life-sentenced cases from paper or hardcopy files to electronic files. The electronic process for preparing, reviewing and voting cases is far more efficient than the handling of paper files.

WHY PAROLE ANYONE?
Parole allows for a period of community supervision and appropriate transitional services for the offender. Success for the offender depends upon it. Without parole, the offender has little incentive to improve while incarcerated and little incentive to complete programming and make significant change. While some offenders have court ordered probation supervision to follow their prison term, the lack of parole eligibility still leaves the offender with little incentive to work toward rehabilitation. The offender simply serves out his time and then transitions to the community; free and without supervision or with probation supervision but absent the skills and change necessary to be successful. During FY16, the Board Members and senior staff continued visiting state prisons, meeting and informing inmates of the Board's expectations in order to be approved for parole.
Parole allows for the effective management of the finite resource of prison beds allowing the Department of Corrections to utilize the number of beds available for the most serious offenders. During the fiscal year, the Parole Board worked effectively within Georgia's Criminal Justice Reform framework resulting in a safer
Georgia for all.

State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

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The Honorable Nathan Deal, Governor Members of the Georgia General Assembly Citizens of the state of Georgia

Once again, I am honored as Chairman of the State Board of Pardons and Paroles to present the agency's annual report.
During Fiscal Year 2016, the Parole Board operated under the agency's reorganization plan as a result of changes implemented late in FY15. This reorganization, which was a direct result of parole supervision transferring to the Department of Community Supervision, has been a success! Criminal justice initiatives, part of Governor Deal's vision for a safer Georgia, are contributing to this success.
Over the years, our mission statement has evolved with the purpose and structure of our agency. During FY16, our Board initiated and fulfilled its newly redefined mission of informed-decision making, ensuring public safety, protecting victims' rights and providing offenders with opportunities for positive change.
Recognizing that the parole consideration process is evidence based and the Board's decisions are data driven, during FY16, the Board provided for increased opportunities for input from our criminal justice partners and stakeholders. We engaged those in criminal justice, stakeholders and others in our communities to ensure they have

knowledge of the scientific process for determining who is released on parole and ensure they are aware of their opportunity to have a voice in that process.
Beginning in June of 2016, the Board began sending out the secondary solicitation notices on the most serious offender cases to ensure we have all of the information necessary to make parole decisions. This additional opportunity is given to prosecutors and judges so they can present the current views and opinions of the community regarding these cases. During June, the Board sent out 275 notifications on these cases. The Board believes this one change will greatly enhance the parole consideration process.
We continue to engage crime victims to make sure they understand their importance in the parole consideration process. Crime victims are provided a voice through correspondence, victim impact statements and direct one-on-one meetings with the Board at Victims Visitors' Days. The Board has made a commitment to victims who want to meet personally with the Board, that they have that opportunity. In FY16, we visited three communities in Georgia, meeting with more than 400 victims and family members.

Georgia's parole consideration process is an efficient undertaking resulting in informed decisions. Our Parole Decision Guidelines incorporate a scientifically based, data driven risk assessment instrument with time to serve guidelines. Through application, the amount of sentence an offender should serve prior to possibly being released on parole is predictable. In FY 16, the Board voted 82% of the time with the guidelines recommendation which may include denying parole. Board Members maintain discretion and authority to determine, in the interest of public safety, which individuals should not be paroled and remain in prison. The Board's 72% parole successful completion rate remains among the top in the nation and well above the national average.
The Parole Board is working to ensure the parole consideration process continues to keep the public safe and is strengthened if possible. We are currently updating our guidelines system to reflect the latest sentencing trends based on Georgia offender information. This process improvement will provide Board Members with additional scientific data to assist in making the most informed decisions possible.

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State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

Finally, parole provides the opportunity for the offender to succeed in prison and set a path toward success upon a return to the community. By exhibiting positive change through program completions and institutional conduct, offenders who are not a threat to public safety should have

an opportunity to be a contributor to society instead of a burden to Georgia taxpayers.
I encourage you to visit our website to learn more about Georgia's proven parole consideration process and I invite you to learn more about the Board's initiatives by reviewing this report.

Thank you,
Terry E. Barnard Chairman

State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

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THE 5 MEMBER PA R O L E BOARD

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State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

The Georgia Constitution provides that Parole Board Members are to be appointed by the Governor to seven year staggered terms, subject to confirmation by the State Senate. Board Members are full-time state employees from various professions including criminal justice, elected office and private business.
In 1943, the Board was established through a constitutional amendment and consisted of three members. In 1973, as the prison population rose to 9,000, the Constitution was amended to increase the Board to five members. Today, as the inmate population exceeds 50,000, the Board still consists of five voting members.
The State Board of Pardons and Paroles is the only entity in Georgia with the constitutional authority to commute a death sentence. The Governor does not have this authority in Georgia. Additionally, the Board is also the sole authority in the state to make informed decisions on which state inmates are deserving of parole, thereby ensuring that the state's prison beds are dedicated to the offenders who have committed the most serious crimes.
In FY16, the
Board Members
made 64,695
decisions.

In Fiscal Year 2016 (FY16), the Board Members made 64,695 clemency decisions. This total includes all Board decisions which require a vote and multiple decisions in each offender's case considered during the fiscal year. This total does not reflect the total number of inmate cases considered.
As a comparison, the Board released from prison a total of 13,374 offenders in FY16. Georgia's percentage of parolees successfully completing parole in FY16 was 72%. The national average was approximately 62%.

and data driven. Board Members review the comprehensive case file on the offender and each member individually renders a decision. Learn more about the clemency process beginning on page 18.

The Board conducts monthly meetings at which policy decisions are made. Offender cases are not discussed and parole decisions are not made at the monthly Board
Meetings.

THE GEORGIA

In FY16, the Board

PAROLE BOARD HISTORY

released from

prison 13,374
offenders.
Deciding whether to grant an offender parole is the primary responsibility of the Board. Parole consideration hearings are not held; however, each offender entering the Georgia prison system is interviewed by Board personnel. The Board also actively solicits input and accepts pleas for and protests against executive clemency throughout the consideration process from community stakeholders, including victims and criminal justice partners. By utilizing the Board's Guidelines System, the process is scientific

In 1943, Georgia voters ratified a landmark amendment to the State Constitution establishing the State Board of Pardons and Paroles as an independent agency authorized to grant paroles, pardons, reprieves, commute sentences, (including death sentences) and remove disabilities imposed by law.
Georgia's constitution provides for three branches of government to serve as checks and balances on the power of government over the offender. The legislative branch sets the minimum and maximum range of the prison sentence, the judicial branch sentences the offender within that range, and the Georgia Parole Board, as a part of the executive branch, serves as a check and balance on the other two branches, while
managing the finite resource of state prison beds.

State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

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BOARD MEMBERS

Terry E. Barnard, Chairman
Chairman Terry E. Barnard was elected again by his colleagues to lead the Board for fiscal year 2017. Mr. Barnard of McIntosh County was appointed to the Board in May of 2010 by Governor Perdue and reappointed December 31, 2010. He is currently serving his third consecutive term as chairman. No member has served more than two consecutive terms as chairman since 2008. Mr. Barnard previously served two terms as vice chairman.

Mr. Barnard, a former State Representative, served nearly sixteen years in the Georgia House of Representatives. The Coastal Georgia lawmaker served as a member of several key House committees, including the State Institutions and Property Committee, where he served as the chairman for six years.
Mr. Barnard's legislative experience and knowledge of the Georgia Department of Corrections continues to serve the Board and the people of Georgia. In 1995-1996, Mr. Barnard guided through the Georgia House the framework for the State Sex Offender Registry and Sexual Offender Registration Review Board. As a result, interested parties can learn if a convicted sex offender is living in a neighborhood of interest.
In 2012, Mr. Barnard was appointed by Governor Nathan Deal to the State Commission on Family Violence and he was reappointed in 2015. The commission works to educate and raise awareness about family violence in Georgia. The commission evaluates services,

researches the need for additional services and offers and monitors proposed legislation concerning family violence.
Mr. Barnard also serves on the Board of Community Supervision. The board has regulatory oversight of the Department of Community Supervision which is responsible for the supervision of felony offenders on probation and parole in Georgia.
Mr. Barnard is a native of Tattnall County. He is a graduate of Atlantic Community College and has a strong background in business and more than eighteen years of experience in the financial industry. He served as Vice President and Manager of First Citizens Bank of Reidsville and as a Regional Marketing Director for Green Tree Acceptance, a national mortgage lender. He is involved in a local Baptist Church and takes part in many community events and activities.

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State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

James W. Mills, Vice Chairman
James W. Mills is Vice Chairman of the State Board of Pardons and Paroles. Mr. Mills, of Hall County, was elected Vice Chairman of the Parole Board for FY15, FY16 and again for FY17. He was appointed to the Board in November of 2011 by Governor Nathan Deal. Mr. Mills currently

serves on the Board of Community Supervision.
The former State Representative served nineteen years in the legislature. He served on numerous committees and he served as Secretary of the Rules Committee and Chairman of the Banks and Banking Committee.
During his legislative service, Mr. Mills sponsored key legislation, including the amendment that placed "IN GOD WE TRUST" on the Georgia state flag and he passed "proof of citizenship when registering to vote" legislation. He also helped to pass the Georgia Mortgage Fraud Law allowing district attorneys to prosecute mortgage fraud and the "Option of Adoption" legislation, the first-of-its-kind in the nation. He was invited to the White House on two occasions as recognition for his tax cutting efforts as a state legislator.

Mr. Mills was named Christian Coalition Legislator of the Year in 2001. In 2007, he was named "Legislator of the Year" by the Georgia Retail Association. He is the recipient of the "Pro-Life Hero Award" from the Georgia Right to Life organization, and in 2007, he was named the Pro-Life Hero Legislator by the Justice Foundation.
Mr. Mills is a successful businessman and three times he has been named to the Atlanta Business Chronicle's Who's Who in Finance.
Mr. Mills graduated from Mercer University in 1985 with a bachelor's degree.
In 1990, he received a master's degree from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (N.O.B.T.S.). Mr. Mills is involved in many community youth activities and he's led numerous overseas mission trips through his local church.

State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

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Braxton T. Cotton, Member
Braxton T. Cotton, of Atlanta, was appointed to the Board in November of 2013 by Governor Nathan Deal.
Mr. Cotton began his law enforcement career as a police officer with the Milledgeville Police Department. He then joined the Baldwin County Sheriff's Department, serving as a detective, SWAT team member, crime suppression unit member, and firearms instructor. He was named 2004 Officer of the Year. Mr. Cotton joined the Georgia Department of Public Safety and was the class president for the 84th Trooper School for the Georgia State Patrol. He eventually was assigned to the Executive Protection Unit, serving Governor Sonny Perdue and Governor Deal.
In June of 2012, Governor Deal appointed Mr. Cotton to serve as Executive Director of the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC). At the age of 30, Mr. Cotton became

the youngest African American agency director in Georgia history.
At the CJCC, he oversaw tens of millions of dollars in state and federal grant funds and served as an advisor to the Governor on issues directly impacting the Georgia criminal justice system. Mr. Cotton provided key input during the implementation of the Governor's Criminal Justice Reform, phases 1 and 2.
In June of 2013, Governor Deal appointed Mr. Cotton as the Executive Director of the newly created Governor's Office of Transition, Support and Reentry.
Mr. Cotton established this office with the primary mission to coordinate all state resources that affected prisoner reentry within the state of Georgia.
Mr. Cotton graduated from Georgia Military College and he is currently a Captain in the U.S. Army Reserves. He has received the Army Achievement Medal.
Mr. Cotton has a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from Saint Leo University (Fort McPherson) and a Master of Public Safety Administration (MPSA) from Columbus State University. He is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, American Correctional Association, and the Georgia Professional Association of Community Supervision (GPACS).

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Brian Owens, Member
Brian Owens was appointed to the Board on February 1, 2015, by Governor Nathan Deal. The former Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Corrections began his career as a parole officer in 1993. He was later promoted to assistant chief parole officer and chief parole officer.
In 1999, Mr. Owens joined the Georgia Department of Corrections. He began his career at the department as Director of the Office of Planning and Analysis and was later promoted to Executive Assistant and then to Assistant Commissioner. On January 8, 2009, Mr. Owens was sworn in as Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Corrections by Governor Perdue. He was reappointed as Commissioner by Governor Deal on January 18, 2011.
Mr. Owens earned his bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Georgia.

Jacqueline Bunn, Esq., Member
Jacqueline Bunn was appointed to the State Board of Pardons and Paroles by Governor Nathan Deal, effective July 1, 2016.
Ms. Bunn started her career with the state of Georgia in 1997, as an Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Rights Section for the Georgia Department of Law. She handled hundreds of cases involving the Department of Corrections and the State Board of Pardons and Paroles in state and federal courts, from the trial level through the appellate process to the United States Supreme Court. In December of 2006, she served as Deputy Director in the Legal Services Unit of the Georgia Department of Public Safety. She also served as the legislative liaison.
In July of 2013, Ms. Bunn was appointed by Governor Deal to serve as the Executive Director of the Criminal Justice Coordinating

Council (CJCC). Her extensive experience directly related to Georgia's criminal justice system was a tremendous asset in this role, and resulted in numerous government efficiencies and innovations for the agency.
Ms. Bunn is a member of the Henry Toll Fellowship Program Class of 2016. She currently serves on the State Bar of Georgia's Promoting Inclusion in the Profession Committee and as a member of the Georgia Bar Journal Editorial Board. She is a member of the Georgia Bar Association, the New Jersey Bar Association and the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys (GABWA). During her presidential year, GABWA received the prestigious President's Cup, the highest award given to a local bar association by the State Bar.
Ms. Bunn is a native Georgian. She completed both her undergraduate degree in broadcast journalism, with general honors, and her law degree on full academic scholarships from the University of Georgia. She is licensed to practice law in all of the state and federal courts in Georgia and New Jersey. She has worked in private law firms in Atlanta, Georgia, Westfield, New Jersey, and Princeton, New Jersey.

State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

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EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP

Christopher Barnett, Executive Director of Parole

Executive Director Christopher Barnett was appointed to the position in August of 2015 after serving as Interim Director and guiding the Board through a significant reorganization as parole supervision transitioned to the new Department of Community Supervision.
During FY 2016, Director Barnett worked to strengthen relationships with community stakeholders and criminal justice partners and inform Georgians about the parole consideration process.
Director Barnett joined the Georgia Parole Board in 2003 as a parole

officer in the Marietta Parole District. Promotions to senior parole officer, assistant chief parole officer, field operations officer, senior field operations officer and statewide program manager followed. In May of 2013, he was promoted to regional director, supervising all operations and parole districts within the Northeast Region.
Mr. Barnett is a native of Hinesville, Georgia. He has a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice and a Master of Public Administration from Georgia Southern University.

Rita Rocker, Deputy Executive Director

Rita Rocker was appointed Deputy Executive Director effective June 1, 2015.
Ms. Rocker began her career in 1989 as an accounting clerk with the Engineering Unit of the Georgia Department of Corrections. She then worked in the Food & Farm Unit, before being promoted to unit manager of the Property/Inventory & Audits Unit.
In 1997, Ms. Rocker transferred to the State Board of Pardons and Paroles as an operations auditor where her responsibilities included examining each of the Board's primary operations to identify areas for

improvement. Her success resulted in a promotion to unit manager. In 2010, she was promoted to Director of Government Relations, leading the Board through several legislative cycles as criminal justice reforms were implemented in Georgia.
Ms. Rocker graduated from Georgia Southern University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance. She later attended the Georgia Law Enforcement Command College at Columbus State University earning a Master of Public Administration.

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State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

Strengthening Partnerships for Public Safety Christopher L. Barnett
As Executive Director of the State Board of Pardons and Paroles, I am deeply honored to lead the day-today operations of this agency.
FY16 saw the State Board of Pardons and Paroles undergo a major transformation. With the direct supervision of parolees being transferred to the newly created Department of Community Supervision, the State Board of Pardons and Paroles changed from an agency of nearly 700 employees to fewer than 200. This transition allowed the agency to revisit its mission, vision and values as well as to rediscover its primary responsibilities. Today we are a different agency, but our primary focus of keeping Georgia safe remains firmly in place.
Our mission to serve the citizens of Georgia by exercising the constitutional authority of executive clemency through informed decision-making, thereby ensuring public safety, protecting victims' rights and providing offenders with opportunities for positive change is the cornerstone of all we seek to achieve.

During our restructuring efforts, we realized the best way to fully achieve our mission was to seek greater participation in the parole process with our criminal justice partners and community stakeholders. This includes engaging partners and stakeholders in the parole process, educating where needed and encouraging their active participation. If we accomplish these three goals, the result will be an overall enhancement of the parole process.
With that in mind, during FY16, the State Board of Pardons and Paroles actively engaged our criminal justice partners and community stakeholders. Meetings were conducted with judges, prosecutors, law enforcement, other government officials, human rights groups, legislators, faith community leaders, and other community stakeholders. By engaging each about the parole process and highlighting the benefits of their active involvement in the parole process, the safety and security of the state of Georgia is enhanced.
During the year, we also looked internally and sought to successfully strengthen areas of operation through people, processes and innovative enhancements. Each position and process was assessed to ensure the agency and the state of Georgia received the greatest benefit. As positions became available through retirement, transfer or other means, the agency determined whether that position was being utilized to its greatest

potential in its current location or if there was a greater demand for the limited resources in another area. As a result, the agency made the decision to redirect positions and enhance operations in several key areas including our Field Services and Clemency Divisions. We engaged innovative solutions where efficiency gains were determined to be available. Where processes may have been out-of-date or cumbersome to the operations of the agency, we updated or removed the impediments allowing for greater efficiency throughout the process. This was all done without additional state tax dollars. All enhancements were completed using internal resources. We are a better, leaner Board than ever before and ready to serve the citizens of Georgia for years to come.
We remain committed to the citizens of Georgia and our mission, renewed partnerships with our criminal justice partners, relationship building with stakeholders across the state, and seeking out better ways in which to conduct our day-to-day operations to provide for a safe and secure
Georgia for all citizens.
Christopher L. Barnett

State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

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CLEMENCY
PA R O L E
CONSIDERATION

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State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

CLEMENCY
In FY16, the Parole Board released 13,374 offenders from prison through all forms of clemency to include releasing inmates on parole. This total was down 146 from the previous fiscal year. This is the second consecutive year that parole releases have declined in Georgia, as prison commitments have decreased each of the last two years.
RELEASES
FY12: 12,606
FY13: 15,634
FY14: 16,212
FY15: 13,520
FY16: 13,374
In Georgia, clemency encompasses the parole decision making process. Clemency also pertains to the granting or denying of pardons and restoration of rights by the Parole Board. The Parole Board holds the sole constitutional authority to grant executive clemency to a condemned inmate. In Georgia, no inmate is entitled to parole, however, by law, most are eligible for consideration. As a result of data driven decisions, Georgia's scientific parole consideration process keeps the public safe and assists the Department of Corrections in

In FY16, there were 15,853 offender files initiated by the Clemency

five board members (a majority) must agree on a decision. In FY16, there were 15,853 offender files initiated for consideration by the Clemency Division. For more information on parole eligibility and the Guidelines System visit: www.pap.georgia.gov.
CLEMENCY ONLINE NAVIGATION SYSTEM CONS (ELECTRONIC CASE MANAGEMENT)

is much more efficient. These cases that historically have taken approximately 90-days to process to the Board, now take less than two weeks.
Currently all parole eligible inmate cases in Georgia are voted electronically by the Board.
CONS has significantly improved the agency's business processes. The electronic case file is established in

Division.
keeping the finite number of prison beds dedicated for the most serious offenders. The annual cost avoidance to the state, due to offenders being under parole supervision as opposed to housing them in prison, was more than $450,000,000 for FY16.
PA R O L E CONSIDERATION & DECISIONS
Board members independently reach their decisions after reviewing a comprehensive electronic case file on each eligible offender. The file generally includes investigative reports, reports from the Department of Corrections, the offender's criminal history, circumstances of current offenses, information from the district attorney, victims and other stakeholders. The Clemency Division also provides a recommended number of months to serve based upon the application of the Parole Decision Guidelines, if applicable. Eligible inmates are automatically considered for parole. Three of the

Since 2011, the process of preparing a case for consideration by the Board has been completed electronically in CONS (Clemency Online Navigation System). CONS has proven to be more effective and efficient than the prior paper based process. CONS allows Board Members to access the offender's case material electronically.
The Parole Board has eliminated the production of paper files and during FY 2016, began imaging the last of the paper files which were files on inmates serving life sentences. For the past several years, except for inmates serving life sentences, the Board has routinely voted cases electronically.
During FY16, the agency completed the process of submitting lifesentenced inmate cases to the Board Members electronically and the process of the Board voting those cases electronically was completed. By eliminating paper files on these cases and submitting them electronically, the Clemency Division's process of submitting life-sentenced cases to the Board

In FY16, the
annual cost
avoidance was
more than $450
million.
CONS after the sentence package is electronically received from the Department of Corrections. Electronic notifications trigger actions moving the case toward a Board decision. Additionally CONS initializes notifications to judges, prosecutors, and law enforcement regarding pending releases. Notifications are also generated to wardens and inmates regarding board decisions. In FY16, 31,294 notifications (all types) were made through CONS. There were 11,647 preconditions to parole imposed on inmates by the Board during the fiscal year.

State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

19

THE PAROLE CONSIDERATION PROCESS
After the agency receives an offender's sentencing information electronically from the Department of Corrections, parole investigators collect details of conviction offenses, interview inmates for personal history statements and complete post sentence investigations.
For non-life sentenced cases, hearing examiners review all of the information contained in the investigations conducted by parole investigators. In order to make equitable recommendations to the Board Members, hearing examiners process and prepare rating summaries utilizing the agency's Guidelines Rating System. (See guidelines at www.pap.georgia.gov/ parole-consideration-eligibility).
Following the hearing examiner's review, the cases and recommendations are electronically forwarded to the Board Members for consideration. Board Members then individually consider each case. The members may agree with the time to serve recommendation provided by the Guidelines Rating System or they may opt to deviate from the recommendation by increasing or decreasing the number of months to be served before parole is granted. The Board also has the authority to deny parole.

What do the members consider when determining who gets paroled? In a guidelines case, a recommendation is derived from application of the parole guidelines system regarding the time the offender should serve prior to parole or that the offender should be denied parole and serve the entire prison sentence. The Board considers the recommendation and decides whether to agree or disagree with it. Because the Board has constitutional authority and discretion to determine parole, the following is information that may be in the offender's parole file that the Board Members can consider when determining if someone receives parole:
aggravating circumstances; victim impact statements; prosecutor/ judicial statements; legal investigations including details/ circumstances of the crime(s); the parole guidelines recommendation, if applicable; inmate progress reports; inmate interviews, if applicable; program completions/failures; prison
Board
Members
individually
consider
each case.

conduct; inmate disciplinary reports; amount of the prison sentence served; inmate's mental health status and progress; if probation is to be served after confinement; offender's age at the crime commit date; prior parole considerations; number of prior felonies; prior revocations; prior incarcerations; personal history statement; and the parole release plan.
Many documents in the parole file on the offender are public. They may include (if applicable to the offender) but are not limited to:
sentencing documents; notifications to the offender regarding the Board's decision; notice of consideration for parole prior to serving one-third of the sentence (only if applicable); notice of the final decision to parole; correspondence sent by the Board in response to an offender's correspondence or in response to correspondence sent on behalf of the offender; parole certificate; notice of the preliminary revocation hearing; the preliminary hearing summary; the waiver of the preliminary revocation hearing; notice of the final revocation hearing; the waiver of the final revocation hearing; revocation orders; the public portion of the revocation hearing recording; court production orders; detainers; subpoenas; Board arrest warrants; the certificate of discharge from parole; the pardon order; restoration

20

State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

of political and civil rights order; commutation order; and Board orders in death penalty cases.
Documents that are not public and protected by Georgia law from public disclosure include but are not limited to:
Victim correspondence The offender's medical information GCIC/NCIC reports The hearing examiner's executive
summary of the offender's case The Board ballot The offender's residence plan
verification Correspondence to the Board
including from those opposing parole for the offender Parole investigations Pardon application The petition for commutation of a death sentence. For more information: https://pap. georgia.gov/parole-consideration
Tentative Parole Months or TPMs (non-life sentenced cases)
After receiving the case from the hearing examiner, a Tentative Parole Month (TPM) is set when three of the five board members agree on a specific amount of time that the offender should serve before being granted parole. Inmates receive written notification of the Board's decision. The Tentative Parole Month or "grant" can be rescinded at any time. The TPM is not a release date or a final parole release decision. An inmate's TPM status is available on the agency's website.

The Inmate TPM Lookup (Offender/ Inmate Parole Status) link is located on the home page at www.pap. georgia.gov.
FINAL REVIEW PROCESS
As the Tentative Parole Month (TPM) approaches, the hearing examiner will conduct a final review of the offender's case file. The final review determines if there is any reason a release date should not be set. Parole could be delayed or denied as a result of the offender not completing required programming, poor prison conduct, or because of detainers, warrants or new sentences. A release date that is set can be rescinded at any time prior to the release.
Board solicits information from the Victim, Judge, District Attorney and the community throughout the process
The Parole Consideration Process in Georgia allows for correspondence about the case to be sent to the Board at any time during the offender's incarceration up to the point of a parole release. Victims, judges, prosecutors and the public may send the Board information and provide input into the case.
Statutory and Board Notifications
Registered victims of a crime are given notification at the time the Board is considering a parole release, allowing for a period of time for the victim to send the Board information about the case.
(O.C.G.A. section 17-17-13)

In June FY16, 275
second solicitations
/ notifications were
sent to judges and
prosecutors.
Registered crime victims may also use an automated system to callin and receive an offender status update. (Review V.I.P. at https://pap. georgia.gov/victim-informationprogram-vip)
The state's prosecutors routinely provide information to the Board regarding cases. During the postsentence investigation conducted by parole investigators, the judge and the district attorney have the opportunity to provide information and his/her view of the case.
In order to ensure the Board has current information about the cases, in June of 2016, the Board implemented a second solicitation/ notification to judges and district attorneys. Now, six months prior to an offender becoming parole eligible, the Board sends a notification to the judge and district attorney informing them that the Board is preparing the case for statutory parole consideration and is requesting information about the case. For the only reporting month (June) of FY 2016, 275 second solicitations/ notifications were sent to judges and prosecutors.

Based on an agreement between the Board and the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of Georgia, this notification is made for the following offenses:

Attempted Aggravated Child Molestation
Attempted Aggravated Sexual Battery
Attempted Aggravated Sodomy Attempted Armed Robbery Attempted Kidnapping Pimping or Pandering a child under
the age of 18 RICO Prohibited Activities Trafficking Persons for Sexual
Servitude Aggravated Assault (with injury or
weapon) Aggravated Assault on a Police
Officer Aggravated Assault with Intent to
Murder, Rape or Rob Aggravated Battery Aggravated Battery on a Police
Officer Aggravated Stalking Attempted Murder Attempted Rape Burglary of an occupied residence Burglary of an unoccupied residence
(committed on/after 10/21/13)

Bus Hijacking Child Molestation Cruelty to a Child 1st Degree Enticing a Child for Indecent
Purposes Feticide by Vehicle Hijacking Motor Vehicle Home Invasion 1st and 2nd Degree Homicide by Vehicle while DUI or
Habitual Violator Incest Involuntary Manslaughter Robbery Statutory Rape VGCSA - Cocaine or Meth ( 400+
grams) VGCSA - Marijuana (10,000+ pounds) VGCSA - Opiates (28+ grams) Voluntary Manslaughter Murder and Felony Murder Kidnapping and Kidnapping with
Bodily Injury Aggravated Child Molestation Aggravated Sexual Battery Aggravated Sodomy Armed Robbery Rape

22

State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

Registered crime victims may also use an automated system.
Judges, district attorneys, sheriffs (of the county of residence prior to arrest) and registered victims also receive a 72-hour statutory notification that the offender is about to be paroled. The Board may receive information about the case during this period. (O.C.G.A. section 42-9-47) If released on parole, parole certificates are forwarded to the clerks of court for each docket the inmate is paroled on.

LIFE SENTENCE PAROLE CONSIDERATIONS
Life-sentenced inmates are considered when they become eligible under Georgia law (see State Law and Life Sentences). Unlike other offenders, the Board's guidelines are not used and a TPM is not the result of the Board's decision. The Board's decision is either to grant or deny parole.
If parole is denied to a life-sentenced inmate, the Board, by policy, will reconsider the case again at least once every eight years. The duration between considerations is a decision made by the Board.
Life-sentenced inmates who have been denied parole and have a

scheduled reconsideration date may receive expedited parole reviews if the Board receives new information that warrants an earlier review.
A life-sentenced inmate receiving a "grant" parole decision may be required to complete a Department of Corrections' work release program as a precondition to parole.
STATE LAW AND LIFE SENTENCES
Since 1995, there have been two statutory changes pertaining to serious violent felonies that determine parole eligibility for a lifesentenced offender.
If a crime considered to be a "seven deadly sin" was committed prior to

LIFE SENTENCE TIME SERVED

AVERAGE PRISON TIME BEFORE RELEASED

25

20

15

10

5

0

1973

2000 2010 YEAR

2015

State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

23

1995, the offender is eligible after seven years. In 1995, offenders committing these crimes became eligible after serving fourteen years. If the crime is committed after July 1, 2006, the offender is eligible for parole after serving thirty years.
In 1973, life-sentenced inmates served less than nine years in prison, on average, before being released from prison. By year 2000, the average had risen to more than 15 years. By 2010, the average time served on a life sentence was nearly 20 years and in 2015, a lifesentenced inmate served on average more than 25 years in prison prior to being released.
PARDON ADMINISTRATION UNIT
The Parole Board's pardon application and decision making process allows for quality pardon investigations and provides the most comprehensive information available to assist the Board in making quality pardon decisions. A pardon does not expunge, remove or erase crimes from a person's criminal record. A pardon is an order of official forgiveness and may be granted to individuals who have maintained a good reputation in their community and have remained crime free following the completion of their sentence(s).
In 2016, the agency continued its improvements to the pardon process. The current application requires applicants to provide additional information including their version

PARDON APPLICATIONS Total Applications Received

1,479

Pardons granted without firearms being restored

241

Pardons granted with firearms being restored

346

Restorations of civil & political rights

71

Restoration of civil & political rights with firearms restored

29

Total Applications Granted

687

of criminal offenses, justification for why they should be considered for a pardon, including a description of how they have given back to the community.
Applicants seeking a pardon for offenses requiring registration on Georgia's Sex Offender Registry must be crime free for ten years following the completion of all sentences, as opposed to five years for all other conviction types. These applicants must also provide a current copy of their most recent risk level evaluation as assigned by the Sexual Offender Registration Review Board (SORRB), provide a psychosexual evaluation, and submit to a disclosure polygraph as part of the application process.
Legislative changes in 2015 resulted in changes to the pardon process. A notification process was created informing registered victims and prosecutors, in specific cases, when an offender is seeking a

pardon. This allows victims and prosecutors the opportunity to send the Board information about the case. In addition, the Parole Board determined it would send these notifications regarding all applications received. During FY16, the Parole Board sent 1,450 notifications regarding ex-offenders applying for pardons.
In FY16, 1,479 pardon and restoration of rights applications were received and 687 were granted (all types). There was an increase of 206 over the number of applications approved by the Board from the previous year. During the fiscal year there were 503 fewer applications filed compared to the previous year.
CLEMENCY (PAROLE AND CRIMINAL) INVESTIGATORS
Parole investigators conduct and complete investigations collecting information about the offender's

24

State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

conviction offenses. The process includes interviewing inmates for personal history statements and completing post sentence investigations.
Forty-seven parole investigators work in the Clemency Division. Thirty-nine parole investigators are assigned to the field and predominantly complete post sentence investigations and profiles for all offenders sentenced by Georgia courts. Eight parole investigators are assigned to work within the prisons to conduct personal history statements on inmates during the diagnostic process at which time they will interview inmates.
In 2015, the Parole Board made changes to the investigation procedures for a pardon applicant requesting restoration of firearm rights and for investigations necessary for inmates serving a life sentence. Both types of investigations require face-to-face interviews with the offender and/ or ex-offender. These interviews are now conducted by the Board's criminal investigators. These P.O.S.T. (Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council) certified staff utilize their experience and interviewing techniques to collect necessary information required by the Board Members in order to make decisions in these cases.
In FY16, the clemency investigators completed 33,789 investigations for the Parole Board.

State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

25

Fiscal Year Clemency Actions

Parole Certificates Out-of-State Parole Orders Conditional Transfers Out-of-State Conditional Transfers Supervised Reprieves Out-of-State Supervised Reprieves Commutations Medical Reprieves Out-of-State ICE Orders
Total Prison Releases by Parole Total Discharges from Parole

7,233 426 904 183 1,517 21
2,850 25 215
13,374 9,159

Initial Decisions Under Guidelines Other Guidelines Decisions
Total Guidelines Decisions

6,888 1,551
8,439

Life Sentenced Cases Denied Parole Life Sentenced Cases Granted Parole
Total Life Sentenced Case Decisions

1,504 163
1,667

Restoration of Rights Granted

100

Pardon Grants

587

Total Pardons & Restorations Granted

687

Preliminary Revocation Hearings

76

Final Revocation Hearings

244

26

State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

DOCUMENT IMAGING
The Clemency Division's scanning and imaging unit imaged 14,884 files in FY 2016.
History
The Board in 2006 implemented a digital document management system for the imaging of the Board's closed files. The imaging process is a key part of the larger Clemency Online Navigation System (CONS), and integrates digital images into the division's electronic business model, thereby improving efficiency while preserving historical information needed for informed decision making. It also allows the viewing of electronic forms, such as investigative reports, which can be completed and viewed from any remote location with computer access. By the close of FY12, the agency had completed imaging the files of active serving inmates with the exception of inmates serving a life sentence. In FY13, the unit began imaging the files of offenders on active parole supervision.
This unit also images offender documents that are generated daily, to include correspondence, revocation documents and victim notifications. This unit completes the imaging of all paper files and stores documents, making the parole selection and consideration process
more efficient.

PAROLE PROCESS: PRE DECISION
1
CONVICTION Sentence Computed by DOC O ender Administration
Sent to the Board
2
CASE "INITIALIZED" Parole Eligibility Date (PED) set and Legal Investigations
Ordered

3
INVESTIGATIONS Parole Investigator Initial DA input is solicited at time
the legal is written for all o enses
4
SIX MONTHS BEFORE PED Secondary Solicitation Notifications sent to the DA's for the most serious violent & sexual o enses

5
PAROLE ELIGIBILITY DATE OCGA 42.9.45 (b) 42.9.46 (1/3)
6
HEARING EXAMINER Prepare case for
Board Consideration
7
BOARD CONSIDERATION

PAROLE PROCESS: POST DECISION
8
TENTATIVE PAROLE MONTH ESTABLISHED
9
INMATE NOTIFIED FIRST PER BOARD
RULES

10
OFFICE OF VICTIM SERVICES
Registered Victims Notified
11
FINAL REVIEW Institutional Conduct, Program Completion, New Victim, DA, Judge or Stakeholder Input

12
VICTIMS & DA Case Reviews verifying
Notification
13
72 HR NOTIFICATION Pending Release OCGA 42.9.47 OCGA 42.9.44(a)
14
RELEASE

State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

27

FIELD SERVICES

28

State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

FIELD SERVICES
The State Board of Pardons and Paroles' Field Services Division ensures that violations of parole conditions by offenders are quickly addressed. If necessary, the offender's parole is revoked and the offender is returned to prison. The division's District Operations Managers effectively and efficiently manage this process for the Parole Board.
FY16 PAROLE POPULATION
During Fiscal Year 2016 (FY16), the population of offenders on parole and under community supervision decreased from 23,859 on July 1, 2015, to 22,901 under community supervision in Georgia on June 30, 2016. The percentage of successful parole completions was 72% for the fiscal year. The cumulative number of offenders under parole supervision in Georgia during the fiscal year was 36,648. Offenders released on parole are supervised by the Department of Community Supervision.
PAROLE VIOLATIONS, WARRANTS AND REVOCATIONS
The Parole Board enhances public safety by quickly responding to offenders who violate the conditions of their parole. Violations of parole consist of new criminal charges (felony and misdemeanor) and technical violations related to failing to follow the conditions of their parole. The offenders who

violate the terms of their release risk returning to prison as they have shown that they are not willing to comply with their conditions of parole.
State law authorizes the Parole Board Members to issue warrants for the arrest of alleged parole violators. In FY16, a total of 8,763 warrants were issued by the Parole Board.
During FY16, the Board returned (revoked) 2,505 parole violators to prison to serve their sentences in confinement. That number is down slightly from 2,655 for the previous fiscal year. Of the FY16 revocations, fewer than 8% were revoked due to technical violations which include drug use, curfew violations, or failure to pay fines and fees.
The appropriate recommendations and enforcement of intermediate sanctions, such as treatment referral, administrative hearings, voice recognition or GPS monitoring, day reporting centers and parole detention centers results in the low percentage of technical parole violators being revoked and returned to prison.
The purpose of intermediate sanctions is to bring the offenders back into compliance and revoke to prison the offenders who are a threat to public safety.
PAROLE REVOCATION HEARINGS

Parole Board Members
conducted 244 final
revocation hearings
during FY16
conducted 244 final revocation hearings during FY16. Each hearing is presided over by an individual Board Member who hears all of the evidence in the case and makes a recommendation to the full Board to either revoke parole and return the offender to prison or continue parole and community supervision. Most offenders facing parole revocation proceedings admit their parole violations and sign a waiver to be returned to prison without a final hearing.
District Operations Managers are responsible for scheduling and

managing the Parole Revocation Hearing process. Parole Revocation Hearings are conducted from the Board's central office in Atlanta via video conferencing or in person at the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison in Jackson, Georgia. For video conference hearings, the offender, the officer of record and the Board Member may be in different locations throughout the state. Use of this technology, has reduced travel costs not only for the Parole Board, but for both the Department of Corrections and the Department of Community Supervision, as well.
DISTRICT OPERATIONS MANAGERS
District Operations Managers thoroughly investigate alleged parole violations and determine if a Board Warrant should be issued to

REVOCATION NUMBERS
2,618

2,199

2,380

2,655

2,505

Upon the establishment of probable cause, Parole Revocation Hearings are held to address violations of parole. Parole Board Members

FY12 FY13

FY14 FY15 FY16

State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

29

take an offender into custody and what appropriate actions should be taken with the interest of public safety in mind. District Operations Managers are assigned to the ten (10) Judicial Districts and are an integral link between the Board and the Department of Community Supervision (DCS) as it relates to parole violators. In addition to those duties, they regularly visit DCS Offices to meet with and train staff on the parole revocation process.
INTERSTATE COMPACT
In FY16, the State Board of Pardons and Paroles' Interstate Compact Unit was responsible for processing

the transfer of all Georgia inmates paroling to an out-of-state residence. In addition, the unit was responsible for responding to violations, handling extraditions and addressing victim issues relating to these cases. Another responsibility of the unit in FY16 was to release foreign national offenders to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainers.
The Georgia Parole Board, in FY16, was a member of the Interstate Commission for Adult Offender Supervision (ICAOS).

ICAOS is responsible for creating and upholding the rules of the Commission. ICAOS is comprised of all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands.
FISCAL YEAR 2016 ACTIVITY BY THE INTERSTATE COMPACT UNIT
Offenders Released/Paroled to Outof-State Supervision: 447
Offenders under Out-of-State Supervision (June 30, 2016): 1,908
Offenders under Georgia Supervision from other states (June 30, 2016): 1,112
Offenders Released to ICE for Deportation: 215

30

State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

FY16 NO TURNING BACK RECOVERY PROGRAM
The No Turning Back Recovery Program located at the Washington Parole Detention Center is an intensive addiction treatment program for parolees who are both higher risk and higher need offenders who were not successful in community-based treatment and supervision. In FY16, there were 207 admissions to the program. One hundred forty-two (142) parolees graduated (including those admitted the previous year) and were returned to parole supervision, and there were 63 discharges from the program. Those offenders were returned to the general prison population.
There were 142 graduates from the No Turning Back Recovery Program.

State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

31

32

State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

COST PER DAY: P RISON INCARCERATION VS PAROLE SUPERVISION

Prison/Day

Parole/Day

$60 $50

$51.19

$40

$30

$20

$53.00

$52.81

$52.81

$52.95

$10

$4.94

$4.32

$4.03

$4.49

$3.54

$0

FY12

FY13

FY14

FY15

FY16

COST AVOIDANCE
The cost avoidance chart shows 2012 - 2016 FY$$ savings due to people serving parole versus incarceration.
FY12: $351M
FY13: $409M FY14: $469M
FY15: $451M FY16: $450M

GEORGIA/NATIONAL AVERAGE COMPLETION RATES NATIONAL SOURCE: BUREAU OF JUSTICE STATISTICS

Georgia

National (Estimate)

80%
72%

74%

72%

68%

70%

60%

62%

58%

59%

59%

50%

There were more than 54,000 state inmates incarcerated in Georgia prisons and other facilities at the close of FY16 and 24,968 under parole supervision (in-state and out-of-state). In FY16, the annual cost avoidance to the prison system as a result of offenders on parole is
calculated at $450, 289,141.
72% *State Prison costs for FY16 are not available at the time this report is published and therefore are estimated costs.
62%

40%

FY12

FY13

FY14

FY15

FY16

State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

33

GEORGIA OFFICE OF VICTIM SERVICES

34

State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

The Georgia Office of Victim Services ensures the registered crime victim's voice is heard throughout the parole process.
This office serves registered crime victims with offenders in prison or under community supervision. The office provides victims with updates regarding the parole status of the offender and notifies victims if an offender is being considered for parole and if the offender is released from confinement.
This office operates the Victim Information Program or V.I.P. This is a 24-hour automated information system which provides crime victims and their families with access to information about the offender.
In conjunction with the Parole Board, the Georgia Office of Victim Services also serves crime victims by conducting Victims Visitors' Days.
GEORGIA OFFICE OF VICTIM SERVICES
The office is supported by three state agencies which are the State Board of Pardons and Paroles, the Department of Corrections and the Department of Community Supervision.
The office handles victim information by direct contact with victims as well as electronically. In FY16, 7,140 phone calls from victims were handled by staff, 12,270 correspondences were sent to victims in response to

concerns and 4,716 victim impact statements and notifications were filed with the office.
VICTIM INFORMATION PROGRAM OR V.I.P.
V.I.P. is a 24-hour automated information system providing victims of crime and/or their families, with access to information about their offender. By completing a victim impact statement or crime victim notification form, victims can be registered with V.I.P. The forms are available online at www.pap.georgia. gov or by calling 404-651-6668.
HOW V.I.P. ASSISTS CRIME VICTIMS
Upon registering, victims are issued a PIN (Personal Identification Number). When accessing the system (800593-9474), victims can learn the status of the offender. Also through V.I.P., registered victims receive information on a prison release after the inmate completes the court ordered term of incarceration (end of sentence), or if the inmate is placed on community supervision.
For FY16, there were 1,905 new V.I.P. registrants, 6,796 phone calls from victims were logged into the system and the system made 581 calls to victims of crime.
FISCAL YEAR 2016 VICTIMS VISITORS' DAYS
The Parole Board visited three Georgia communities during the fiscal year, meeting with victims of

crime. The agency's Victims Visitors' Days are conducted to give crime victims the opportunity to discuss directly with the Board, the crime, the offender and the impact on the victim or victims. At these events, victims receive parole status updates on the offenders involved in the crimes against them or their loved ones. Victims share their emotions and their wishes regarding parole for the offender.
The Victims Visitors' Day provides new opportunities to register previously unregistered victims of crime with the Georgia Office of Victim Services. Victims meet with the staff and are informed of the services and resources available to them through this office. Victims also are able to meet with staff from the Department of Corrections and the Department of Community Supervision at these events. These two agencies are able to assist victims with information regarding the incarceration of the offender or the supervision of the offender in the community. The Victims Visitors' Day program began in 2006. Through FY16, 25 separate events have been conducted over ten years, 17 different communities have hosted, and the Parole Board has met with more than 3,000 victims.
According to exit surveys, 97% of victims participating in the three Victims Visitors' Days in FY16 stated that all of their questions were answered to their satisfaction.

97% of victims
stated that their
questions were
answered to
their
satisfaction.
FY16 VICTIMS VISITORS' DAYS
Fort Valley, Georgia July 30, 2015 More than 150 Georgia crime victims attended the Parole Board's Victims Visitors' Day held on July 30, 2015, at Fort Valley State University at the Board's first event of the fiscal year. The Fort Valley Victims Visitors' Day was conducted in conjunction with State Representative Patty Bentley who represents House District 139. Brunswick, Georgia October 15, 2015 170 crime victims met with the Parole Board in Brunswick, Georgia, at the Victims Visitors' Day held on October 15, 2015. The Victims Visitors' Day at the Glynn County Courthouse was conducted in collaboration with the Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney's Office. Jonesboro, Georgia April 19, 2016 The 17th different Georgia community to host a Victims Visitors' Day was Jonesboro, Georgia, on April 19, 2016.

State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

35

The 25th Victims Visitors' Day also turned out to be the largest in history with 223 victims attending. This event was a partnership with the Clayton Judicial Circuit Victim-Witness Assistance Program.
"The Board believes that by meeting with crime victims in their communities, victims are empowered and it allows them to chart a pathway toward becoming a survivor. That is the purpose behind a Victims Visitors' Day." Parole Board Chairman Terry Barnard
VICTIM OFFENDER DIALOGUE
The Victim Offender Dialogue (VOD) program provides an opportunity for victims of violent crimes to have a structured, safe, direct, one-onone meeting with the offender who committed the crime. The program allows the victim and offender to discuss the crime and its impact on the victim. VOD can only be initiated by the victim and the offender must voluntarily agree to participate and must acknowledge his/her role in the crime.

VOD requires a lengthy preparation process involving both the victim and the offender working separately with a trained facilitator. In FY16, the Georgia Office of Victim Services conducted six Victim Offender Dialogue sessions involving victims and offenders. Victims interested in the program may contact the Georgia Office of Victim Services at 404-651-6668.
VICTIM SUPPORT PA R T N E R S
During FY16, the Georgia Office of Victim Services initiated this program whereas crime victims partner with the office to lend their support to other victims of crime. This new statewide network of dedicated victim volunteers was established to assist, guide and comfort other crime victims. The victim volunteers working with the Georgia Office of Victim Services can answer questions that other crime victims may have and can assist in getting victims registered with the office and assist with completion of victim impact
statements.

Additional Services of the Georgia Office of Victim Services
Victim Impact Statements and Protest Letters are submitted to the Parole Board for review;
Notification of parole consideration, release, and supervision of offenders; Advocacy for victims, including assisting victims with unwanted contact from
offenders and offender compliance with court-mandated conditions; Victim referrals to community based resources and services; and Preparation and orientation for family members of homicide victims for
pending executions in death penalty cases.
36

State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

37

BUDGET SERVICES

38

State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

BUDGET IN TRANSITION

STATE FUNDS
60M

45M

30M

15M

FY 2015

FY 2016 Exec Order FY 2016AM

FY 2017

During FY 2015, HB310 was passed creating the Department of Community Supervision (DCS).
An Executive Order transferred $10,058,280 to this new organization at the beginning of FY 2016.
400+ Parole Officers remained on the Parole payroll throughout FY16, although operationally transferred to DCS.
In FY 2017, $29,720,450 in state funds, mainly for payroll, was transferred to DCS.
The agency budget has decreased by over 70% since the beginning of FY 2016.

FY2016 EXPENDITURES
Total: $45,782,940
Personal Services | $42,181,904 Regular Operating | $1,134,224 Motor Vehicle | $781,282 Equipment | $29,032 Computer Charges | $252,845 Real Estate Rental | $270,572

Telecommunications | $192,246 Contracts | $652,040 County Jail Subsidy | $288,795

PAROLE SUPERVISION FEES
1.7M
1.4M
1.1M
800k

FY2016 FUNDS

Federal Other GO Bonds State Total Funds

$142,982 $293,321 $765,000 $44,581,637 $45,782,940

500k

In FY16 bond funds were again used to purchase replacement vehicles. Most of

FY12

FY13

FY14

FY15

FY16

these vehicles were transferred to DCS.

During FY16 the Board worked to transition Federal Fund sources to DCS.

GCVEF

All open Asset Forfeiture sharing requests $500k were transferred to DCS. These sharing

requests were based on task force membership and operations.

$400k

COMBINED RESTITUTION COLLECTIONS

$300k

$1F1,Y5194:0,704 $1F2,Y1755:9,384 $1F1,Y81868,626

In Fiscal Year 2016, all parole supervision fees, victim compensation, and restitution

$200k

fees were collected via the consolidated banking unit of the Department of

$100k

Corrections. In FY16, $13,327,120 was collected in total.

FY12

FY13

FY14

FY15

FY16

Restitution collections are reported as a combined total of funds collected

by the Department of Corrections and the Parole Board.

The Parole Board's policy regarding supervision fees require that each

parolee pay only one type of fee. Court-ordered restitution which goes

directly to the victim is the first priority.

Payments to the Georgia Crime Victims Emergency Fund (GCVEF), as

required by statute, are next, followed by parole supervision fees.

State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

39

HUMAN RESOURCES

40

State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016

589 Employees

Non-Sworn: Sworn:

167

422

At the beginning of Fiscal Year 2016, a majority of the agency's sworn officers were administratively transferred to the new Department of Community Supervision (for management and supervision) but remained on the payroll of the Parole Board until the official transfer on July 1, 2016.

July 1, 2016

186 Employees

Non-Sworn: Sworn:

131

55

Male 34
Female 152

3% 11%
22%
36% 28%

Age

20-29 years

5

30-39 years

41

40-49 years

53

50-59 years

67

60+ years

20

1.1%

0.5%

1.1%

43% 54.3%

Ethnicity

Multi-racial

1

Asian

2

Hispanic

2

Black

101

White

80

TRAINING

FY 2016 Employee Training Statistical View
Staff training hours delivered: 661 Sworn staff hours delivered: 2,386 Non-sworn staff hours delivered: 945
Instructor training hours delivered to other
agencies: 1,522

All agency employees must complete in-service training on an annual basis. Sworn staff must complete a minimum of 20 hours annually which includes mandatory firearms requalification and use of deadly force. Non-sworn staff must complete a
minimum of eight hours annually.

State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

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State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

State Board of Pardons and Paroles | FY 2016 | Annual Report

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STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY
State Board of Pardons and Paroles
2 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive S.E. Suite 458, East Tower
Atlanta, Georgia 30334-4909 404-657-9450
www.pap.georgia.gov