Fiscal year 2017 annual report

STATE BOARD OF PARDONS AND PAROLES
INFORMED, DATA DRIVEN PAROLE DECISIONS
ANNUAL REPORT FISCAL YEAR 2017

Nathan Deal, Governor
James W. Mills, Chairman Braxton T. Cotton, Vice Chairman Terry E. Barnard, Member Brian Owens, Member Jacqueline Bunn, Esq., Member

Table of Contents
Mission, Vision, Values..................................................... 02 Organizational Chart........................................................ 03 Introduction to the State Board of Pardons and Paroles & Fiscal Year 2017 Highlights................. 04 Chairman's Letter.............................................................. 06 The Five Member Parole Board..................................... 08 The History of the Georgia Parole Board................... 09 Parole Board Members.................................................... 10 Executive Leadership....................................................... 14 Executive Director's Letter.............................................. 15 Clemency & Parole Consideration................................ 16 Field Services...................................................................... 24 Georgia Office of Victim Services.................................. 28 Budget & Fiscal Services................................................. 31 Human Resources............................................................. 32 Training................................................................................. 33

MISSION, VISION, VALUES
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 Striving to be a continuously learning organization
Our Values
We value Ethics, Integrity, Equity and Innovation.

The Agency is guided by the 4E's: Engaging Stakeholders Educating the Community Eliciting Active Participation Enhancing Operations

Enhanced operations improve public safety

ORGANIZATIONAL CHART
Organizational Chart

THE BOARD

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

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LEGAL SERVICES La'Quandra Smith

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Christopher L. Barnett

DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Rita Rocker

SUPPORT OPERATIONS
Spec. Asst. to Board Thurman Henderson
Communications Steve Hayes
Budget & Fiscal Lisa Reid
Human Resources Eris McKennon
Gov. Relations Kim Patton-Johnson
Community Affairs Anita Cloud
Training, Inv. & Compliance Chris Kimner
Mental Health & EAP Erika Johnson

CLEMENCY DIRECTOR James "Bubba" Williams

VICTIMS SERVICES DIRECTOR Shalandra D. Robertson

FIELD SERVICES DIRECTOR Rick Jacobs

DEPUTY DIRECTOR Caryl Deems

DEPUTY DIRECTOR Scott Reaves

INVESTIGATIONS PARDON ADMIN.

HE'S CONS

OFFICE MANAGER
Janelle Edwards
VICTIM SERVICE SPECIALIST I

DEPUTY DIRECTOR Keir Chapple
PROGRAM MANAGER
Destiny Brown
VICTIM SERVICE SPECIALIST
II & III

QA PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Patricia Smith
PROGRAM COORDINATOR

DEPUTY DIRECTOR Jenna James
GCIC INTERSTATE ADMIN. STAFF SCANNING/
IMAGING

DEPUTY DIRECTOR
Felecia Holloway
DOM'S VIOLATIONS/
SANCTION

INTRODUCTION & HIGHLIGHTS

FY 2017 Parole Board Highlights & Accomplishments
The Parole Board Members and staff continued to engage criminal justice partners and community stakeholders in Georgia during Fiscal Year 2017. This engagement assisted in the achievement of the best possible parole outcomes and ensured public safety for all Georgians. The agency actively worked to educate all stakeholders about the parole process and encouraged their participation in the process. As a result, additional enhancements were made to our operations in FY17.

Parole Decision Guidelines Rating System
In Fiscal Year 2017, the State Board of Pardons and Paroles completed an update of the Parole Decision Guidelines Rating System. The Board's Parole Decision Guidelines Rating System was first developed in 1979 and codified in 1980 and has been updated several times since. Best practices in parole decisionmaking support routine reviews and updates to the guidelines. The Board partnered with Applied Research Services (ARS), Inc., to update the guidelines system. Current changes were developed over a two year period and were developed in line with the state's criminal justice reform efforts. ARS used statistical data from more than 26,000 Georgia parole cases to recommend updates to the guidelines. The updated Parole Decision Guidelines Rating System became effective July 1, 2017. More information regarding the Board's application of the current Parole Decision Guidelines Rating System can be found at www.pap.georgia.gov.

Engaging Crime Victims, Stakeholders and Criminal Justice Partners, and Eliciting Active Participation

In FY17, the Parole Board Members continued more than a decade of scheduling meetings with crime victims. Partnering with local victim-witness assistance offices and the Georgia Office of Victim Services, the Board Members visited two Georgia communities during the fiscal year, sitting down with victims in direct, individual, face-to-face meetings.
In October of 2016, the Board conducted one of the largest ever Victims Visitors' Days in Milledgeville, Georgia. More than 200 victims and family members attended. Confidential meetings with one of the five voting Parole Board Members offered victims the opportunity to share

their experiences, their wishes and receive parole status updates regarding their individual offender's case.
The event was repeated in April of 2017 in Dahlonega, Georgia, as more than 100 victims and family members accepted the Board's invitation to attend a Victims Visitors' Day. During these events, dating back to 2006, the State Board of Pardons and Paroles temporarily relocates much of its staff in order that crime victims receive necessary assistance.
Through June 30, 2017, the Parole Board has conducted 27 events across Georgia, meeting with more than 3,300 crime victims and their family members.

Preparing offenders for reentry
In FY17, the Parole Board engaged both the offender and the community in order to ensure success after parole. Community and family support is essential for the offender to be successful while on parole. Information obtained in these engagements enables the Board to have a complete profile of the offender, another important element of scientific, informed, data driven parole decisions.
The Board's clemency staff participated in the Department of Corrections' Family Day in April of 2017. This participation by the Parole Board afforded more than 500 family members and friends of state inmates the opportunity to learn what they may do in order to prepare the offender for parole and success after release.
Offenders were also engaged throughout the fiscal year as parole staff visited prisons and attended inmate graduations celebrating completions of necessary reentry programming. In facilities across the state, parole staff interviewed inmates and discussed their reentry plans with them. To draw attention and comparison to the absolute necessity for inmates to complete programming, the Board announced several parole releases at inmate program graduation ceremonies.
In late June of 2017, Governor Nathan Deal gave remarks at a Department of Corrections' GED graduation ceremony which included the Parole Board Members notifying three inmates who had completed their GED that they were being granted parole. The ceremony at Lee Arrendale State Prison marked the Department of Corrections' milestone of surpassing 2,000 GED completions for the fiscal year.

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Notifications regarding parole and Criminal Justice Reform

As part of the Board's effort to ensure quality parole decisions, an additional notification to district attorneys and judges was implemented by the Board in June of FY16. This "Secondary Solicitation of Information" is sent to the prosecuting district attorney's office and the judge six months prior to the offender's statutorily mandated parole eligibility date. The additional communication affords the Board the opportunity to receive the current views and any additional information from the district attorney and the judge. More than 3,000 such notifications were sent in FY17, allowing for additional input.
During the 2017 legislative session, the Parole Board actively participated in the Criminal Justice Reform

Council`s meetings as a way to engage stakeholders in the parole process. As a result, the Parole Board began notifying district attorneys of tentative parole grants for offenders serving for a serious violent felony offense. The new notification is sent a minimum of 90-days in advance of a clemency release. This additional notification gives prosecutors an additional opportunity to convey to the Board any information necessary before the offender is released. This notification covers the offenses referred to as the "seven deadly sins" which are murder, armed robbery, kidnapping, rape, aggravated child molestation, aggravated sodomy, and aggravated sexual battery. (O.C.G.A. 17-10-6.1.)

Defense Attorneys and Public Defenders
Meetings with criminal defense attorneys and public defenders from across the state were conducted on several occasions allowing for their input into the parole process, providing the Board an additional perspective when making informed data driven parole process decisions.

Board Member Re-appointment
Governor Nathan Deal re-appointed Parole Board Member Jacqueline Bunn to a full seven year term effective January 1, 2017. Bunn was appointed to the Board originally, effective July 1, 2016, to complete an unexpired term of a retiring Board Member.

The Parole Board has conducted 27 Victims Visitors' Days across Georgia, meeting with more than 3,300 crime victims.

CHAIRMAN'S LETTER

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

James W. Mills
"The mission of the Parole Board
embodies our role in the criminal justice system as we ensure public safety through informed decision-making.

"

It is a great honor and great responsibility to serve on the State Board of Pardons and Paroles. Difficult life changing decisions are made each day. As I reflect on this opportunity to serve the citizens of Georgia, it is my distinct honor to present to you our annual report for Fiscal Year 2017.
The mission of the Parole Board embodies our role in the criminal justice system as we ensure public safety through informed decisionmaking, and protecting victims' rights, while providing the offender with opportunities for positive change. The implementation of Governor Deal's Criminal Justice Reform is assisting the Board in successfully completing the task of fulfilling our mission and our public safety role in Georgia's criminal justice system.
Clemency, in its various forms, is a very important part of the criminal justice process. State law requires that parole eligible offenders be considered for release. In FY17, the Board implemented our updated Parole Decision Guidelines Rating System; an essential part of ensuring scientific, data driven, informed decision making. This process improvement is

providing the Board Members with additional data to assist in making the most informed decisions. Decisions are made only after careful and thorough consideration of the guidelines recommendation, if applicable, and of the information in the comprehensive parole case file, which includes victim information, circumstances of crimes and much more. As a result, those offenders who demonstrate positive behavior patterns may be deserving of an opportunity to be restored through parole. Likewise negative behavior can adversely affect an offender's parole chances.
Other forms of clemency are also important. The granting of a pardon for example does not remove or erase a person's criminal history. However it can assist a deserving former offender the opportunity to move forward in life. Today's pardon application is more comprehensive than ever before.
The offender is only one part of the equation. Restoring both the victim and offender is important. It's a balancing act between the two. Striking that balance of compassionate mercy for the victims while seeking justice and

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appropriate mercy for the offender is truly a challenge.
By personally meeting with victims of crime, we understand their concerns, the impact of the crime, and we are able to help the victim understand the parole process. During the fiscal year, the Board Members and clemency staff made visits to several Georgia communities, meeting with victims, making the Board as accessible as possible to crime victims. The Board is increasing opportunities for victims to meet personally with the Board Members. As a result, the Board receives information to assist us in making the best possible parole decisions. Another important service offered in FY17, was the Victim Offender Dialogue program. This program allows the victim to control a direct meeting with the offender to work toward forgiveness and restoration. We want victims to be restored and become crime survivors and the Parole Board will always have an open door for them.
During FY17, we continued meeting with stakeholders and criminal justice partners

to work together in enhancing the parole decision making process. Because our decisions are data driven, we understand that having all available information results in the most informed and best possible parole decision. Whether it is prosecutors, defense lawyers, judges, law enforcement or victims, we continue to invite all into the parole process. Today, the Board is sending more notifications than ever before in order to ensure our stakeholders are aware of pending parole reviews, which are mandated by state law. In FY17, after adding a new notification to our process, the Board made 3,272 secondary solicitations/notifications to the state's district attorneys to ensure the Board has all available information regarding a case. Our efforts are made to ensure the parole decision making process is understood and as transparent as possible.

help us continue to move forward. Leadership demands never becoming content with where we are; we can always improve and learn better ways to ensure safe communities and a brighter future. Please enjoy the annual report and visit our website at pap.georgia.gov. Thank you,
James W. Mills, Chairman

In closing, allow me to add this: Georgia's greatest asset is its people and we must never allow any person to become merely a number. As Chairman, it is a great honor to serve, and that service carries great responsibility to

THE FIVE MEMBER PAROLE BOARD & HISTORY

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 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 Board is 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 Fiscal Year 2017 (FY17), the Board Members made 71,969 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 10,468 offenders in FY17.
Georgia's percentage of parolees
successfully completing
parole in FY17 was 71%.
The national average was
an estimated 62%.

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. The information is sought from community stakeholders, including victims and criminal justice partners. By utilizing the Board's Parole

Decision Guidelines Rating System, the process is scientific and data driven. Board Members review the comprehensive case file of the offender and each member individually makes a decision.
The review of death sentences is a responsibility of the State Board of Pardons and Paroles. The Board is the only entity in Georgia with the constitutional authority to commute a death sentence. The Governor does not

have this authority in Georgia. Board Members may commute a death sentence to life with or without the possibility of parole or issue a stay.
The Board conducts monthly Board Meetings at which policy decisions are made. Offender cases are not discussed and parole decisions are not made at the monthly Board Meetings.
Learn more about the clemency process beginning on page 16.

The Georgia Parole Board
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 State Board of Pardons and Paroles, as a part of the executive branch, manages the finite resource of state prison beds by considering eligible offenders and making parole grants in the interest of public safety.

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History of Parole in Georgia

Parole came to Georgia in 1908 when the General Assembly voted to give the Prison Commission authority to implement a system of "parole or conditional pardons." Parole could be granted upon the approval of the full Commission and the Governor. The Commission had power to issue warrants and arrest a parole violator. Though functioning and appreciated, the system over the following years was primitive and understaffed.

In 1938, the Commission was given broader powers to grant paroles without the approval of the Governor and without limitation on its authority, "save the welfare of the State." However, the Commission remained hampered by a shortage of funds. Then in the early 1940s there were serious questions raised about the handling of pardons.
The General Assembly enacted legislation, and signed it into law in February 1943, creating the State

Board of Pardons and Paroles as an independent agency to administer executive clemency.
In August of 1943, Georgia voters ratified, by a ratio of four and a half to one, 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.

PAROLE BOARD MEMBERS

James W. Mills Chairman

James W. Mills is Chairman of the State Board of Pardons and Paroles. Mr. Mills, of Hall County, previously served as 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 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.
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.

Braxton T. Cotton Vice Chairman
Braxton T. Cotton is Vice Chairman of the State Board of Pardons and Paroles. Mr. Cotton, of Atlanta, was appointed to the Board in November of 2013 by Governor Nathan Deal. He also serves on the Board of Community Supervision which has regulatory oversight of the Department of Community Supervision.
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 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 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 agency 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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12 PA R O L E B OA R D M E M B E R S ( CO N T. )

Brian Owens Member
Jacqueline Bunn, Esq. 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 was appointed to fill an unexpired term on the State Board of Pardons and Paroles by Governor Nathan Deal, effective July 1, 2016. She was reappointed to a full seven year term in December of 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.

Terry E. Barnard Member

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Terry E. Barnard of McIntosh County was appointed to the Board in May 2010 by Governor Perdue and reappointed December 31, 2010. Mr. Barnard served three years as chairman, from July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2017. He previously served two oneyear terms as vice chairman.
Under his leadership as chairman, enhancements to the parole consideration process were made to include increased board notifications to solicit additional case information, increased access to the Board and the decision making process for victims, and the first revision to the Parole Decision Guidelines Rating System since 2007.
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 citizens 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 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.

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.
Director Barnett continues to work strengthening relationships with community stakeholders and criminal justice partners and informing 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 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.

Rita Rocker
Deputy Executive Director of Parole

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Providing Public Safety by Being the Number One Parole Authority in the World

As Executive Director of the State Board of Pardons and Paroles, it is my great privilege and honor to lead the dayto-day operations of this agency and to bring additional insight into our efforts and results through this annual report.
In Fiscal Year (FY) 17, the State Board of Pardons and Paroles remained focused on the agency's primary mission of keeping Georgia safe.
Mission Statement: 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 goal is simple; to be the number one parole authority in the world, a goal this agency is well on its way to achieving. The State Board of Pardons and Paroles has enhanced our engagement of all stakeholders in the clemency consideration process, ensuring all pertinent information regarding cases under consideration by the Board is captured, retained and utilized by the Board Members in their decision making process.
Board Members, executive staff and senior leadership conducted informative meetings and events with criminal defense lawyers, district attorneys, public defenders, judges, local/county/state and federal law enforcement agencies, various human rights groups, and victims of crime, where information was shared to ensure all worked in unison to strengthen our criminal justice system here in Georgia and our clemency consideration process.

By striving to include the active participation of all stakeholders in the clemency consideration process, our agency is ensuring the most accurate depiction of a case is being presented to the Board for consideration. It takes all of us, openly working together, to ensure the Board makes the best possible decision and public safety is enhanced for all Georgians.
The Board's constitutional role in our criminal justice system in Georgia is critical and requires operations to be ever evolving. Recently, the Board completed a two year project updating its Parole Decision Guidelines Rating System. The updates involved the research and tracking of more than 26,000 Georgia clemency release cases for years, in order to accurately determine which groups of offenders were more likely to commit a new felony offense(s) within three years of release. This update ensures the Board has the most relevant up-todate scientific, research based data regarding Georgia offenders, which is a critical factor in making the best possible clemency decisions. As a result, we are confident our clemency decision making process is among the best in the nation.
Our operations also ensure those in the community due to a clemency action abide by the conditions imposed by the Board and the expectations of the communities in which they live.
The Department of Community Supervision is our partner in ensuring public safety as their officers supervise individuals in the community and inform the Board of those who are exceeding expectations or falling short on compliance. If an individual fails to take advantage of the

opportunity presented to them by the Board and violates conditions of their release, the Board takes swift action to remove that individual from the community and reduce any threat to our public safety. However, if an individual has shown a true commitment to reentry, rehabilitation, and becomes a positive force in their community, the Department of Community Supervision will submit the individual's case to the Board for possible commutation of the remaining supervision period allowing individuals who have earned their way into prison, the opportunity to earn their way out and eventually successfully transition from supervision to a fully redeemed contributing member of our community. This is the true path to public safety and what the Board strives to achieve each day.
Christopher L. Barnett Executive Director of Parole

CLEMENCY AND PAROLE CONSIDERATION

Clemency

For a third consecutive year, parole

In Georgia, clemency encompasses the

releases were down during FY17.

parole decision making process. Clemency

Meanwhile, prison commitments were only also pertains to the granting or denying

slightly up following two successive fiscal of pardons and restoration of rights by

year declines. The Parole Board released the Parole Board. The Parole Board holds

10,468 offenders from prison through all the sole constitutional authority to grant

forms of clemency to include releasing

executive clemency to a condemned

inmates on parole during the fiscal year. inmate. In Georgia, no inmate is entitled to

This total represented 2,906 fewer releases parole, however by law, most are eligible

from the previous fiscal year.

for consideration and therefore must be

considered by the Parole Board.

FY Parole Releases 15,634 16,212
13,520 13,374 10,468

As a result of data driven decisions, Georgia's scientific parole consideration process keeps the public safe and assists the Department of Corrections in 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 $377 million for FY17.

Parole Consideration and Decisions

Board Members independently reach their decisions after reviewing a comprehensive electronic case file on the 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 provides a thorough assessment and a recommended number of months-to-serve based upon

the application of the Parole Decision Guidelines Rating System, if applicable.
Eligible inmates are automatically considered for parole. Three of the five board members (a majority) must agree on a decision. In FY17, there were 20,112 offender files initiated for consideration by the Clemency Division. For more information on parole eligibility and the Parole Decision Guidelines Rating System visit: www.pap.georgia.gov.

FY17 FY16 FY15 FY14 FY13

The Parole Board released 10,468 offenders from prison through all forms of clemency to include releasing inmates on parole during the fiscal year.

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Clemency Online Navigation System - CONS (Electronic Case Management)

The process of preparing a case for consideration by the Board is 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 and make clemency decisions electronically. The Parole Board has eliminated the production of paper files and continues the process of imaging the last of the existing paper files.
During FY16, the agency completed the process of submitting life-sentenced inmate cases to the Board electronically. By eliminating paper files on these cases and submitting them electronically, the Clemency Division's process is more efficient. Now all parole eligible inmate cases in Georgia may be voted electronically by the Board.
CONS has significantly improved the agency's business processes. The electronic case file is established in CONS after the sentence package

is electronically received from the Department of Corrections. Electronic notifications trigger actions moving the case toward a Board decision.
CONS initializes notifications to judges, prosecutors, and law enforcement regarding pending releases. Notifications are also generated to wardens and inmates regarding board decisions. Please see additional information regarding statutory and other notifications made by the Board later in this report.
In FY17, 28,867 notifications (all types) were generated by CONS. There were 12,997 preconditions to parole imposed by the Board on inmates during the fiscal year. In 2017, the state legislature enacted into law a provision that any probation supervision conditions imposed by the sentencing court be adopted by the Board for any offender released on parole who has probation (split sentence) to serve following incarceration. (O.C.G.A. 42-9-43 (d) (1))

In FY17, 28,867 notifications were generated by CONS.

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 cases other than a life sentence, 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 Parole Decision Guidelines Rating System.

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 and vote electronically. The members may agree with the time-to-serve recommendation provided by the Parole Decision Guidelines Rating System or they may 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.

Parole Decision Guidelines Rating System Updated in FY17

In FY17, the agency completed an update to the Parole Decision Guidelines Rating System. Updates included raising the crime severity level of certain conviction types. The higher the crime severity level, the more serious the offense and the likely result is a recommendation for the offender to serve a longer period of time prior to parole. On the risk to reoffend scale, the Board now includes prior arrest episodes in place of conviction history for the offender. Research has proven arrests to be a better statistical predictor of future

criminal behavior. The updated guidelines take into account statewide sentencing averages and parole decisions by previous boards. More information regarding the Board's application of the current Parole Decision Guidelines Rating System can be found at www.pap.georgia.gov/paroleconsideration-eligibility.

18 C L E M E N C Y A N D PA R O L E CO N S I D E R AT I O N ( CO N T. )

What do the members consider when determining who gets paroled?

In a guidelines case, a recommendation is derived from application of the Parole Decision Guidelines Rating 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 with it. Because the Board has constitutional authority and discretion to determine parole, the following is information that may be in the 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
program completions/ failures
prison 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 arrests number of prior felonies prior revocations prior incarcerations personal history statement 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 of political
and civil rights order commutation order Board orders in death
penalty cases

For FY17, 3,272 second solicitations/ notifications were sent to judges and prosecutors.

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 (excludes inmates serving life with parole eligibility)
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, prison misconduct, or because of detainers, warrants or new sentences. A release date that is set can be rescinded at any time prior to the release.

Pardons and Paroles | 19

Statutory and Board Notifications
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. The Board solicits information by notifications to stakeholders including victims, judges, prosecutors and the public throughout the process.
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. 17-17-13)
Registered crime victims may also use an automated system to call and receive an offender status update.
(Review V.I.P. at https://pap.georgia.gov/victiminformation-program-vip)
The state's prosecutors routinely provide information to the Board regarding cases. During the post-sentence 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 2016, the Board implemented a second solicitation/notification to judges and district attorneys. Six months prior to specific offenders 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 FY17, 3,272 second solicitations/ notifications were sent to judges and prosecutors.

These notifications are sent regarding offenders convicted of serious felonies. The offenses included in this notification process can be found at https://pap. georgia.gov/parole-process-georgia-0.
As a result of legislation enacted during the 2017 session, the Parole Board notifies the district attorney if an offender convicted of a serious violent felony is being considered for parole release. This notification is made at a minimum of 90-days prior to the final decision to parole. Those serious violent felonies are: murder, armed robbery, kidnapping, rape, aggravated child molestation, aggravated sodomy, and aggravated sexual battery. The Board shall also give the offender being considered an opportunity to submit information. This additional notification allows for another opportunity for the Parole Board Members to receive additional or current community views regarding the scheduled parole for the offender. (O.C.G.A. 17-10-6.1.) & (O.C.G.A. 42-9-43(c) (1))
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. 42-9-47)
If released on parole, parole certificates are forwarded to the clerks of court for each docket the inmate is paroled on.

20 C L E M E N C Y A N D PA R O L E CO N S I D E R AT I O N ( CO N T. )

Life Sentence Parole Considerations for inmates who are parole eligible according to state law
Inmates serving a life sentence 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 an inmate serving life, 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. Inmates serving life 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 parole eligible inmate serving a life sentence who receives 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 the minimum amount of the sentence to be served to become parole eligible for offenders sentenced to life with parole eligibility. If a crime considered to be a "seven deadly sin" was committed

prior to 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.

Parole Decisions for Parole Eligible Inmates Serving Life Sentences

Granted

Denied

1,504

1,471

1,145

1,230

144 FY13

577

133 FY14

151 FY15

163 FY16

104 FY17

Life Sentence Time Served for Serious Violent Felonies Parole Eligible Offenders
Average Prison Time Served Before Release
In 1973, life-sentenced inmates convicted of serious violent felonies 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 2017, a life-sentenced inmate served on average more than 26 years in prison prior to being released.

25 20 15 10 5
1973

2000

2010

2017

In FY17, time served prior to parole rose to more than
26 years for life-sentenced parole eligible offenders.

Pardon Administration Unit
The Parole Board's pardon application and decision making process includes thorough 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).
The pardon process is continuously reviewed in order to ensure informed decisions are the result. The current application requires applicants to provide additional information including their version of criminal offenses, justification for why they should be considered for a pardon, including a description of how they have contributed to their 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.
Legislation in 2015 created a notification process 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. The Parole Board determined that it would exceed the statutory requirements and send these notifications regarding all applications received. During FY17, the Parole Board sent 722 notifications regarding exoffenders applying for pardons.
In FY17, 1,068 pardon and restoration of rights applications were received and 719 were granted (all types). There were 411 fewer applications received during the fiscal year compared to the previous year. There was a grant increase of 32 over the number of applications approved by the Board the previous year.

Pardon Administration Unit FY17
1,068
Applications received (all types)
719
Total applications granted (Grants include applications filed in previous year)

249 Pardons granted without firearms being restored
341 Pardons granted with firearms being restored
105 Restorations of civil and political rights
24 Restorations of civil and political rights with firearms restored

Pardons and Paroles | 21

22 C L E M E N C Y A N D PA R O L E CO N S I D E R AT I O N ( CO N T. )

Clemency (Parole and Criminal) Investigators
Parole investigators conduct and complete investigations collecting information about the offender's conviction offenses. The process includes interviewing inmates for personal history statements and completing post sentence investigations.
Fifty-five parole investigators work in the Clemency Division. Fifty parole investigators are assigned to the field and predominantly complete post sentence investigations and profiles for all offenders sentenced by Georgia courts. Five 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 or ex-offender. These interviews are 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 FY17, the clemency investigators completed 36,660 investigations for the Parole Board.

Fiscal Year Clemency Actions
Parole Certificates.......................................................6,577 Out-of-State Parole Orders......................................297 Conditional Transfers.................................................766 Out-of-State Conditional Transfers........................183 Supervised Reprieves.................................................1,234 Out-of-State Supervised Reprieves.......................17 Commutations..............................................................1,215 Medical Reprieves.......................................................32 Out-of-State ICE Orders.............................................147 Total Prison Releases by Parole ...........................10,468 Total Discharges from Parole.................................8,770

Initial Guidelines Decisions......................................8,581 Other Guidelines Decisions......................................2,143 Total Guidelines Decisions......................................10,724
Life Sentence Cases Denied Parole........................1,471 Life Sentence Cases Granted Parole......................104 Total Life Sentence Case Decisions .....................1,575
Restoration of Rights Granted.................................129 Pardon Grants ............................................................590 Total Pardons & Restorations Granted...............719 Preliminary Revocation Hearings.........................145 Final Revocation Hearings......................................366

Parole Process Pre-Decision

1
Conviction
Sentence computed by DOC Offender 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 offenses

4
6 Months before PED
Secondary Solicitation Notifications sent to DA's and Judges for the most serious violent & sexual offenders

5
Parole Eligibility Date
OCGA 42.9.45(b) 42.9.46()

6
Hearing Examiner
Prepare Case for Board Consideration

7
Board Consideration

Pardons and Paroles | 23

Parole Process Post-Decision

8

9

Tentative Parole Month Established

Inmate Notified First Per Board Rules

10
90-Day Notification
To DA if a "Serious Violent Felony" OCGA 17-10-6.1

11
Victims Notified
Office of Victim Services Registered Victims Notified

12
Final Review
Institutional Conduct, Program Completion, New Victim, DA, Judge or Stakeholder Input

13
Victims & DA
Case Reviews Verifying Notification

14
72hr Notification
Pending Release OCGA 42.9.41 OCGA 42.9.44(a)

15
Release

FIELD SERVICES

Field Services Division
The mission of the Field Services Division is to effectively and efficiently manage the process related to violations of parole by offenders. The 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.

District Operations Managers effectively and efficiently manage this process for the Parole Board. The Field Services Division is comprised of four units: District Operations Manager Unit; Scanning and Imaging Unit; GCIC Entry Unit; and the Interstate Compact Unit.

FY17 Parole Population
During Fiscal Year 2017 (FY17), the population of offenders on parole under community supervision decreased from 22,901 on July 1, 2016, to 22,737 on June 30, 2017. The number of offenders discharging from parole was 8,770. The percentage of successful parole completions was 71%

for the fiscal year. The cumulative number of offenders under parole supervision in Georgia during the fiscal year was 34,610. 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 having demonstrated that they are not willing to comply with their conditions of parole. When a violation occurs, the supervising

officer generates a report detailing the delinquent behavior. Upon receipt of the report, the District Operations Manager conducts a thorough case investigation to determine what action the Board should take in the best interest of public safety. Based on the investigation, the District Operations Manager makes a recommendation to the Board. The recommendation could be treatment referral up to revocation of parole.

Pardons and Paroles | 25

Warrants/GCIC Unit
State law authorizes the Parole Board Members to issue warrants for the arrest of alleged parole violators. Upon notification that an offender has violated the conditions of release, the District Operations Manager reviews the violations and the case history to determine if a Board Warrant should be issued to immediately place the offender into custody. In FY17, a total of 7,765 warrants were issued by the Parole Board.
If the offender cannot be immediately located, the Parole Board Warrant is then placed on the Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC) system or the National Crime Information Center system (NCIC). Both systems are connected to the Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) database that is used by law enforcement agencies for wanted person entry. In FY17, the GCIC Unit entered 4,300 warrants into the GCIC/ NCIC system. By accessing the system, law enforcement agencies know if an offender should be taken into custody.
In FY17, the GCIC Unit entered 4,300 warrants into the system.

Revocations & Parole Revocation Hearings

During FY17, the Board revoked 2,681 parole violators returning the offenders to prison to serve their sentences in confinement. The number revoked increased by 176 from the previous fiscal year. Of the FY17 total number of revocations, less than 1% were revoked on the basis of technical violations only which include, but not limited to, drug use, curfew violations, or failure to pay fines and fees. Revocation can occur during a Parole Revocation Hearing, when the offender signs a waiver to a revocation hearing, or automatic revocation if the conditions exist according to O.C.G.A. 42-9-51.
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 who are not a threat to public safety back into compliance with their parole conditions.
Upon the establishment of probable cause, Parole Revocation Hearings are held to address violations of parole. Parole Board Members conducted 366 final revocation hearings during FY17. 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 eliminating a final hearing.
District Operations Managers are responsible for scheduling and managing the Parole Revocation Hearing

FY17 FY16 FY15 FY14 FY13

Revocations

2,199 2,380

2,655

2,505

2,681

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. For video conference hearings, the offender, the officer of record and the Board Member may be in different locations. Use of this technology has reduced travel costs for all three agencies involved in the process; the Parole Board, the Department of Corrections and the Department of Community Supervision.

26 F I E L D S E RV I C E S ( CO N T. )

District Operations Managers

District Operations Managers thoroughly investigate alleged parole violations and determine what appropriate actions are to be recommended with the interest of public safety in mind. This may include that a Board Warrant be issued in order to take an offender into custody. 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.

District Operations Managers are P.O.S.T. certified officers. In addition to managing the parole violations and revocation process, they handle Board security, special law enforcement details, and training. They are required to annually complete 20 hours of P.O.S.T. training to include weapons requalification.

Interstate Compact

The State Board of Pardons and Paroles, in FY17, 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.
In FY17, 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 responded to violations, handled extraditions and addressed victim issues

relating to these cases. During FY17, the unit released 414 offenders to out-of-state supervision. As of June 30, 2017, there were 2,327 Georgia offenders under active parole supervision in Compact states and 1,304 other Compact state offenders on parole supervision in Georgia.
Another responsibility of the unit in FY17 was to release foreign national offenders to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainers. Via the ICE Rapid REPAT (Removal of Eligible Parolees Accepted for Transfer) Program, 147 foreign national offenders were released to ICE for deportation at an estimated cost avoidance of $8,257,251.66.

Scanning and Imaging Unit
The Scanning and Imaging Unit plays an integral role in the Parole Board's transition to a paperless environment. This transition began in 2010, and is close to 80% complete. During FY17, 39,880 documents were scanned into the case management systems (Portal, CONS and TRIM system) utilized by the Board to make parole decisions. This unit images offender documents that are generated daily,

to include correspondence, revocation documents and victim notifications. Active lifer inmate and active lifer parole case files are currently in the process of being imaged. 13,452 archived files were imaged during the fiscal year. There are approximately 183,536 archived files remaining to be imaged. Upon completion, all of the Parole Board's files will be accessible electronically.

FY17 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 FY17, there were 231 admissions to the

program. One hundred eighty-one (181) parolees graduated (including those admitted the previous year) and were returned to parole supervision, and there were 44 discharges from the program. Those offenders were returned to the general prison population.

Pardons and Paroles | 27

Cost Avoidance
The cost avoidance chart shows FY13 FY17 $$ savings as a result of offenders serving their sentences on parole under community supervision versus incarceration.

Cost Per Day: Prison Incarceration VS Parole Supervision FY13 FY17
Note: costs are submitted as estimated at the time of each annual report cycle.

Prison/Day

Parole/Day

$60 $53
$50

$52.81

$52.81

$52.95

$53.76

$40

$30

$20

$10

$4.32

FY13

$4.03 FY14

$4.49 FY15

$3.54 FY16

$2.12 FY17

Cost Avoidance FY13 FY17
The fiscal year cost avoidance is calculated based on the cost per day to incarcerate a state inmate in Georgia compared to the community supervision cost per day. The Department of Corrections cost per day submitted for FY17 is $53.76. The Department of Community Supervision cost per day submitted is $2.12. In FY17, the annual cost avoidance to the prison system as a result of offenders serving their sentence on parole is calculated at $377,115,611.

FY13 $409M
FY14 $469M
FY15 $451M
FY16 $450M
FY17 $377M

Georgia/National Average Parole Completion Rates (National Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics)

Georgia

National (estimated)

80%

74%

72%

70%

68%

72%

71%

During FY17, 39,880 documents were scanned into the case management

60% 62% 59%
50%

systems (Portal, CONS and TRIM system)

40%

FY13

FY14

59%

62%

62%

FY15

FY16

FY17

GEORGIA OFFICE OF VICTIM SERVICES

The Georgia Office of Victim Services

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.
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 FY17, 7,910 phone calls from victims were handled by staff, 12,086 correspondences were sent to victims in response to concerns and 2,539 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 (800-593-9474), 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 FY17, there were 2,473 new V.I.P. registrants, 6,349 phone calls from victims were logged into the system and the system made 510 calls to victims of crime.

For FY17, there were 2,473 new V.I.P. registrants, 6,349 phone calls from victims were logged into the system and the system made 510 calls to victims of crime.

Fiscal Year 2017 Victims Visitors' Days

The Parole Board visited two 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 FY17, 27 separate events have been conducted, 19 different communities have hosted, and the Parole Board has met with more than 3,300 victims.
According to exit surveys at two events in FY17, 100% of the victims participating stated that all of their questions were answered to their satisfaction.

FY17 Victims Visitors' Days

Milledgeville, Georgia October 13, 2016

Dahlonega, Georgia April 6, 2017

The second largest attendance in history for a Victims Visitors' Day occurred in Milledgeville as 214 crime victims met with parole staff including Parole Board Members. The event was held in conjunction with the Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit Victim-Witness Assistance Program. Central Georgia Technical College in Milledgeville was the location. The victims present represented 100 parole case files reviewed during the day.

In recognition of National Crime Victims' Rights Week, the Parole Board met with 110 crime victims in Dahlonega. The event was a partnership with the Enotah Judicial Circuit Victim-Witness Assistance Program. The victims present represented forty-eight case files. Victims attending this event came from thirty-one Georgia counties and victims traveled from three other states to attend. The Victims Visitors' Day was conducted at the Lumpkin County Courthouse.

Pardons and Paroles | 29

30 V I C T I M S E R V I C E S

Victim Offender Dialogue
The Georgia Office of Victim Services' (OVS) Victim Offender Dialogue (VOD) program provides an opportunity for victims of violent crimes to have a structured, safe, direct, one-on-one 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 FY17, the Georgia Office of Victim Services conducted seven 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 Partners
The Georgia Office of Victim Services has initiated a 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 Preparation and orientation for family members of murder victims for pending executions in death penalty cases

In FY17, the Georgia Office of Victim Services conducted seven Victim Offender Dialogue sessions involving victims and offenders.

BUDGET & FISCAL SERVICES

Pardons and Paroles | 31

FY 2017 Expenditures | Total: $16,846,903

300 - Personal Services 301 - Regular Operating 305 - Computer Charges 306 - Real Estate Rental 307 - Telecommunications 312 - Contracts 520 - County Jail Subsidy

$14,759,063 $532,295 $175,051 $415,805 $167,320 $487,139 $310,230

FY17 Funds
In FY17, all appropriated Federal Funds were removed from the budget except bank fee funds.
The agency did not receive any bond funds for motor vehicle purchases in FY17, but several new vehicles were leased.

The agency is no longer tasked with collecting supervision fees as this function has been moved to the Department of Community Supervision.

Federal Other State

$112

$221,288

Total Funds: $16,846,903 $16,625,503

State Funds Budget
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 FY2016.
400+ Parole Officers remained on the Parole payroll throughout FY16, although operationally transferred to DCS.
In FY17, PAP transferred $29,720,450 in state funds, mainly for payroll, to DCS.
The agency budget has decreased by over 70% since the beginning of FY 2016.

$60,000,000

Budgets

$50,000,000 $40,000,000 $30,000,000 $20,000,000

FY 2015 FY 2016 Exec Order FY 2016 AM FY 2017

$10,000,000

HUMAN RESOURCES

184 Employees
53 Sworn 35 Male

131 Non-Sworn 149 Female

4% 11%
20% 40%
25%
Age

20-29: 8 30-39: 37 40-49: 47 50-59: 75 60+: 17

1% 1% 1%
41% 56%
Race / Ethnicity

Black: 103 White: 76 Multi-Racial: 1 Hispanic: 2 Asian: 2

TRAINING

All agency employees must complete inservice 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 of training annually.
Beginning January 1, 2017, Board sworn staff must participate in de-escalation

and community policing training. The new training standards are the result of law enforcement improvements brought by Governor Deal which included increases in law enforcement pay for state officers.
Both sworn and non-sworn staff must complete unlawful harassment and professionalism & ethics training each year as a part of their training hours and any other training as prescribed by law.

Training Hours Taken 3,234 Sworn
Training Hours Delivered 1,833 Within Agency

Pardons and Paroles | 33
1,316 Non-Sworn 1,616 Outside Stakeholders

34

STATE BOARD OF PARDONS AND PAROLES
INFORMED, DATA DRIVEN PAROLE DECISIONS
ANNUAL REPORT FISCAL YEAR 2017
2 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive S.E. Suite 458, East Tower Atlanta, GA 30334-4909 404.657.9450 www.pap.georgia.gov