Fiscal year 2020 annual report

GEORGIA BOARD OF PARDONS AND PAROLES

ANNUAL REPORT FY 2020

Brian Kemp, Governor
Terry E. Barnard, Chairman Brian Owens, Vice Chairman
James W. Mills, Member Jacqueline Bunn, Esq., Member
David J. Herring, Member

OUR MISSION
To serve the citizens of Georgia by exercising the constitutional authority of executive clemency through informed decisionmaking, thereby ensuring public safety, protecting victims' rights, and providing offenders with opportunities for positive change.
OUR VALUES
We value Ethics, Integrity, Equity and Innovation.

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

2 Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles

INSIDE
Mission, Vision, Values . . . . . . . . . 2 Organizational Chart . . . . . . . . . . 3 FY 2020 Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Chairman's Letter . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 The Five Member Parole Board . . . . 9 Parole Board Members . . . . . . . . .11 Executive Leadership . . . . . . . . . .16 Executive Director's Letter . . . . . . .17 Clemency & Parole Consideration . . 18 Field Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Georgia Office of Victim Services . . .31 Human Resources & Training . . . . .34 Budget & Fiscal Services . . . . . . . .35
The Agency is guided by the 4 Es
Engaging Stakeholders Educating the Community Encouraging Active Participation Enhancing Operations
Enhanced Operations Improve Public Safety

Organization

ANNUAL REPORT 2020

THE BOARD

Terry E. Barnard, Chairman Brian Owens, Vice Chairman James W. Mills, Member Jacqueline Bunn, Esq., Member David J. Herring, Member

LEGAL SERVICES La'Quandra Smith

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Christopher L. Barnett

DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Rita Rocker

Communications Steve Hayes
Budget & Fiscal Kristen Kinney
Human Resources Eris McKennon
Internal Affairs & Training
Chris Kimner
Mental Health & EAP
Connie Lerner
Reentry Braxton Cotton

CLEMENCY DIRECTOR
Rick Jacobs

VICTIM SERVICES DIRECTOR
Shalandra D. Robertson

DEPUTY DIRECTOR
Kim PattonJohnson

CAU MANAGER
Crystal Moon

DEPUTY DIRECTOR
Lisa Copeland

DEPUTY DIRECTOR NOTIFICATIONS
Keir Chapple

DEPUTY DIRECTOR SERVICES
Anita Cloud

INVESTIGATIONS PARDON ADMIN.

HE'S GPEDS

VICTIM SERVICE SPECIALIST

PROGRAM COORDINATORS

FIELD SERVICES DIRECTOR
Felecia Holloway

DEPUTY DIRECTOR
Jenna James

DEPUTY DIRECTOR
Alan Smith

GCIC INTERSTATE
ADMIN. STAFF
SCANNING/ IMAGING

DOM'S VIOLATIONS/
SANCTION EXTRADITIONS

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Highlights from FY 2020
Chairman Terry Barnard Continues to Lead Board
In FY 2020 (FY20), Terry E. Barnard was elected chairman by his colleagues on the State Board of Pardons and Paroles for FY 2021. At the June 2020 meeting of the Parole Board, Barnard was elected to a sixth term as chairman. Barnard will become the fourth longest serving chairman in the agency's seventy-eight year history after completing the term. Read more about Chairman Barnard on page 11.

4 Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles

Board Presents Former Offender with a Pardon at Monthly Meeting
The State Board of Pardons and Paroles surprised guest speaker Tina Stanley with a pardon at the monthly board meeting in October of 2019. Stanley was forgiven for her past felony convictions. The pardon is an act of "official forgiveness" on the part of the state. Stanley had just spoken to the fivemember Parole Board about prison and parole and the opportunities she was provided. The agency also produced a video describing Stanley's journey to include her addiction, followed by prison, parole, recovery, and ultimately the judge in her case commuting the remaining probation portion of her sentence. Learn more about the pardon process on page 24 of this report. You can find this parole success video at www.pap.georgia.gov.

ANNUAL REPORT 2020

Board Utilizes Clemency Authority during Pandemic
In order to provide the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) additional flexibility to manage the inmate population in the wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic, the State Board of Pardons and Paroles reconsidered specific additional cases of non-violent offenders for possible clemency release. The Board reviewed cases of offenders serving for a non-violent offense who would be released from prison in six months, or before, after completing their prison sentence. The additional informed decisions were made in the interest of public safety.
The board facilitated an additional 918 releases above the average number of monthly parole releases providing additional management flexibility to the Department of Corrections. The action took place in the months of April and May. The majority of the offenders were released to community supervision. The Board action achieved the goal as the overall prison population was lowered which occurred in part, as a result of reduced prison admissions from county jails.
Agency Operations Continue During Pandemic
As with other state agencies, the State Board of Pardons and Paroles successfully maintained operations in the midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic during the final quarter of FY20. Advanced teleworking schedules by all agency employees allowed for the Parole Board to continue making informed parole decisions. Because of pre-planning, agency operations were effectively completed electronically, to include case preparation and parole considerations as employees completed their tasks from alternate work locations. The Board in FY20 was able to ensure public safety through informed-decision making, despite operating in a pandemic.

Informed Decisions Necessary for Public Safety
The best parole decisions are informed decisions. In FY20, the State Board of Pardons and Paroles again worked to ensure that all available information regarding parole eligible offenders was included in the individual case files prior to the Board Members making a decision.
Informed decisions are possible as a result of the Board's comprehensive notification process and its continued engagement of stakeholders.
The agency is required to make statutory notifications. The Board extends its notification process beyond those required by state law.
Through the notification process, the Board ensures stakeholders are provided the opportunity to inform the Members regarding new or additional offender information and their views regarding possible parole.
In FY20, the Clemency Division of the State Board of Pardons and Paroles made more than 30,000 notifications to stakeholders regarding parole cases. Each notification allows the Board to receive stakeholder input regarding the pending parole decision. The Board sends notifications required by statute and additional notifications, not required by law, in an effort to ensure quality parole decisions.
continued
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HIGHLIGHTS FROM FY20

INFORMED DECISIONS continued
The "Secondary Solicitation of Information" is a notification sent to the prosecuting district attorney's office and the judge regarding an offender convicted of a serious felony. The notification is made 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 in the most serious cases. In FY20, more than 1,500 such case notifications were sent.
The Board also sent 347 statutory 90-day notifications regarding pending paroles for offenders convicted of a "serious violent felony." This notification gives prosecutors an additional opportunity to send any information necessary before a final release decision by the Board. This notification covers the offenses known as the "seven deadly sins" which are murder, armed robbery, kidnapping, rape, aggravated child molestation,
6 | Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles

aggravated sodomy and aggravated sexual battery (O.C.G.A. section 17-10-6.1.). The notification is sent a minimum of 90-days in advance of a clemency release for those offenses.
The Board also sends a 72-hour notification regarding pending releases. The notification is sent to the district attorney of the prosecuting jurisdiction and to the sheriffs of both the county where the crime was committed and to the county where the offender plans to live, if different from the county of conviction.
Information may be sent to the Board at any time throughout the process by anyone.
The Board also engages crime victims through notifications sent by the Georgia Office of Victim Services. In FY20, the office sent more than 16,000 pieces of correspondence to registered crime victims. By being registered with the Georgia Office of Victim Services, crime victims ensure notification regarding parole cases and that their information is considered prior to the parole decision.

ANNUAL REPORT 2020
The 4 E's for Public Safety
The agency's operations are guided by the 4 E's: Engaging Stakeholders; Educating the Community; Encouraging active participation in the parole process and Enhancing Operations.
The Board actively seeks the input from the community, organizations, and criminal justice partners. In FY20, the Board's executive management team conducted meetings with interested stakeholders who could provide views and information regarding the parole process or individual cases.
Board Members, executive staff, Clemency and Field staff continued visits and participation in prison programs. Parole leaders speaking to inmate groups discussed the parole process and received case information.
Community groups remained a focus in FY20 for the Board in order to engage, educate and encourage active participation in the parole process. By speaking to civic organizations and engaging stakeholders the agency was able to provide a necessary understanding of the Parole Board's critical criminal justice role in providing public safety.
On a fiscal year basis, parole employees interact with Georgia communities and leaders of those communities to ensure that the parole process is understood and in order to ensure all available case information is available to the Board Members as they make informed decisions. In FY20, Board personnel again met with prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, law enforcement, local elected officials and other stakeholders.
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LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN

TO: The Honorable Brian Kemp, Governor Members of the General Assembly Citizens of the state of Georgia

Scientific, data-driven and evidence-based parole decisions

On behalf of the State Board of Pardons and Paroles I am proud to present the Fiscal Year 2020 Annual Report.
Despite an extremely challenging year, particularly the last half as a result of the pandemic, Georgia's Parole Board continued to complete its public safety mission, by making informed-decisions regarding offenders.
The performance of our employees during a very trying time was exceptional. Our workforce stayed committed to their public safety roles fulfilling their responsibilities, mostly working from their home offices, since mid-March, while taking care of their families.
All divisions and units performed at a high level throughout the fiscal year. The Clemency Division continued preparing case files, providing the Board Members with all available case file information resulting in scientific, data-driven and evidencebased parole decisions.
Field Services, coordinating closely with the Department of Community Supervision, ensured violations committed by offenders serving parole were addressed quickly in order to ensure public safety.
Victims, as always, maintain an important role

in the parole decision making process. Again in FY 2020, the Board ensured crime victims stayed informed in order that decisions included necessary victim input and information.
The parole decision is a result of determining whether an offender's release will benefit public safety. Housing offenders unnecessarily by extending their incarceration beyond the time that they are ready to return to society as a contributing member is detrimental to public safety. Incarceration to inflict continued punishment is counterproductive.
The Georgia Parole Board in FY 2020 continued to make decisions releasing offenders who were ready to return to society while ensuring the limited number of Georgia inmate beds were being utilized for the most dangerous violent offenders. Public safety is served as a result of the Board's actions and taxpayers are not burdened by unnecessarily paying to

keep offenders longer in prison far beyond the punishment phase.
Parole is not guaranteed for any offender. There is no right to parole or "Liberty Interest" regarding parole in Georgia. However, Georgia's process of establishing a tentative parole month or TPM, allowing offenders to complete a case plan and prepare themselves for a successful return to society makes Georgia's system one of the best in the nation. This is why the parole completion rate in Georgia exceeds the national average annually. In FY 2020, the parole success completion rate in Georgia was 73% while the national average was nearer 60%. Of those who are unable to successfully complete parole supervision, few are being returned to prison as a result of convictions for new crimes. The Board revokes the parole of those who are affecting public safety.
This report is comprehensive. After reviewing the contents please visit our website for more information or contact the Office of Communications for additional assistance.
Thank you
Terry E. Barnard, Chairman, State Board of Pardons and Paroles

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THE PAROLE BOARD
The Five Member Parole Board

ANNUAL REPORT 2020

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, with an inmate population at approximately 50,000, the Board still consists of five voting members.
The Board is the sole authority in the state to make informed decisions regarding which state inmates should be paroled, thereby ensuring that the state's prison beds are dedicated to the offenders who have committed the most serious crimes. In Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20), the Board Members made a total of 75,522 clemency votes. This total represents all Board decisions requiring

FY20

a vote and multiple

Clemency Votes

decisions for each

75,522

offender case considered dur-

Inmate Cases Considered
21,790

ing the fiscal year. This total does not reflect the total number of inmate

Parolees successfully completing parole
73%

cases considered. The total number of individual inmate cases (eligible of-

fenders) considered

during the fiscal year was 21,790. This is the total

number of parole eligible offenders requiring a

board decision during the fiscal year regarding

whether to grant or deny parole.

The Board released from prison a total of

10,429 offenders in FY20. Georgia's percentage of

parolees successfully completing parole in FY20

was 73%. The national average was estimated to

be approximately 60%.

The Board's authority includes granting paroles, pardons, and commutations including death sentences.
Deciding whether to grant an offender parole is the primary responsibility of the Board. Parole hearings are not held. However, each offender entering the Georgia prison system is interviewed by parole staff. The Board also actively solicits input and accepts pleas for and protests against clemency throughout the consideration process. Information from community stakeholders, including victims, the public and criminal justice partners is considered by the Board. The Board Members have discretion to determine who receives clemency.
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THE PAROLE BOARD continued

Guidelines are applied to cases excluding offenders serving life
In most cases, the Board's Parole Decision Guidelines Rating System is applied which includes a time-to-serve recommendation. Board Members review the comprehensive case file of each offender and each member individually makes a parole decision. Although the guidelines are not applied to life sentence reviews, the Board maintains a comprehensive parole file in each case and the members review each case thoroughly before voting to grant or deny parole. The Board's decision process is evidence-based, scientific and data-driven.
Death Sentences
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 conduct a clemency meeting for the condemned inmate after which they may commute a death sentence to life with or without the possibility of parole, issue a stay or deny clemency.
Monthly Board Meetings
The Board conducts monthly Parole Board Meetings at which policy changes are considered and operational updates are provided. 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 18.

Constitution and History
Checks and Balances
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.
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 parole violators.
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 passed legislation and it was signed into law in February of 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.

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PAROLE BOARD MEMBERS

ANNUAL REPORT 2020

Terry E. Barnard, Chairman
Terry E. Barnard serves as Chairman of the State Board of Pardons and Paroles for Fiscal Year 2021. Mr. Barnard is in his sixth term serving as Chairman. As Parole Board Chairman, 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. Under Mr. Barnard's leadership as Chairman, enhancements to the parole consideration process have been made including increasing notifications to prosecutors regarding pending board decisions in order to solicit additional case information. Access to the Board and the decision making process has increased for victims and the Board revised its Parole Decision Guidelines Rating System to ensure best practices in parole decision making.
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.
Mr. Barnard is a native of Tattnall County and lives in McIntosh 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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PAROLE BOARD MEMBERS continued

Brian Owens, Vice Chairman
Brian Owens was elected Vice Chairman by the Board Members for FY 2021. Mr. 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 Sonny Perdue. He was reappointed Commissioner by Governor Deal in January of 2011.
As Vice Chairman, Mr. Owens 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. Owens earned his bachelor's degree in Psychology
from the University of Georgia.

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James W. Mills, Member
Board Member James W. Mills is from Hall County. He was appointed to the Board by Governor Nathan Deal and was sworn in November 14, 2011. Mr. Mills previously served as Chairman of the Parole Board for FY 2018 and served three one-year terms as Vice Chairman.
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.

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PAROLE BOARD MEMBERS continued
Jacqueline Bunn, Esq., Member
Jacqueline Bunn was appointed to complete an unexpired term on the State Board of Pardons and Paroles by Governor Deal, on July 1, 2016. She was reappointed to a full seven year term in December of 2016.
In August of 2018, Ms. Bunn was appointed by Governor Deal to the State Commission on Family Violence. The commission works to educate and raise awareness about family violence in Georgia and evaluates the need for additional state services. Ms. Bunn also serves as a member of the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, serving as the Vice Chairman of the Victims Compensation Board.
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. From 2006 to 2013, she served as Deputy Director of the Legal Services Unit of the Georgia Department of Public Safety.
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 Georgia Bar Association and the New Jersey Bar Association and currently serves on the State Bar of Georgia's Promoting Inclusion in the Profession Committee. In 2019, she received the Georgia Bar's Thomas R. Burnside, Jr. Excellence in Bar Leadership Award. Ms. Bunn is a member of 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 also a member of the Henry Toll Fellowship Program Class of 2016.
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.
14 | Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles

David J. Herring, Member
David J. Herring was appointed to the State Board of Pardons and Paroles on August 1, 2018, by Governor Deal.
Mr. Herring joined the Georgia Department of Public Safety in 1994 as a state trooper and has served the state of Georgia for over twenty-five years. During his tenure with the agency, Mr. Herring served as team security for the University of Georgia Football Program, member of the State of Georgia S.W.A.T. Team and most recently as a Lt. Colonel managing security details for the offices of Governor, Lt. Governor, Speaker of the House and Chief Justice.
Mr. Herring received the Governor's Public Safety Award for Heroism in 2001 and was recognized by the Gainesville Kiwanis Club as Trooper of the Year in 2004. He is a member of the 2014 Leadership Georgia Class.
Mr. Herring graduated from the University of Mississippi in 1992 with a bachelor's degree in Public Administration. Mr. Herring and his wife reside in Hall County and are members of their local church.

ANNUAL REPORT 2020

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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. Director Barnett continues to strengthen 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
Deputy Executive Director of Parole
Rita Rocker was appointed Deputy Executive Director on 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 with responsibilities to examine each of the Board's primary operations identifying 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.

16 | Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles

ANNUAL REPORT 2020
Letter from the Executive Director

It is my great honor to serve as Executive Director of the State Board of Pardons and Paroles.
FY 2020 reminded all of us that the one constant in life is change. This year we have seen change on a global scale. Changes in the way we conduct business, interact with one another and the way in which we live our daily lives.
However, through all of the change, the operational team of the State Board of Pardons and Paroles never lost sight of its critical core mission: Public safety through informed executive clemency decision making.
Each employee of the agency remained focused on their public safety role and responsibilities, and operations continued without interruption. In fact, despite a global pandemic and budget reductions, the State Board of Pardons and Paroles is one of the few entities in Georgia that enhanced operations and expanded agency capacity to meet the demands of the State, while ensuring public safety for all Georgia citizens. Therefore, with all things

considered, this has been a great year for the State Board of Pardons and Paroles!
The groundwork for this success was laid through years of planning and preparation by the agency and its leadership (past and present). The State Board of Pardons and Paroles was acutely prepared to continue service to its citizens, despite the pandemic and economic slowdown. Our employees have been successfully teleworking at various levels for years and as the pandemic impacted our communities, we quickly expanded the agency's telework profile, resulting in no delays in the clemency consideration process.
Certainly, we learned as we navigated this new environment and the road was not without obstacles. However, our operational teams moved quickly to review and evaluate our people, processes, and technology and developed alternate processes, procedures and I.T. solutions to ensure the important work of the Board continued. All in all, the State Board of Pardons and Paroles, as

a result of having to maneuver through this new business landscape, emerged a more efficient and effective operational team.
In FY20, parole releases increased over the previous year, while the prison population decreased. The number of offenders serving parole in the community increased slightly. These are great indicators of an effective criminal justice system. When fewer individuals are under the umbrella of the criminal justice system, all Georgians benefit.
As a team, the State Board of Pardons and Paroles is looking forward and planning for the future. We are fully aware that the future will bring additional changes, and it can be unpredictable and challenging at times. However, after successfully navigating FY 2020, we now know that there is nothing this agency or state cannot accomplish when we all work together toward the common goal: Enhance public safety to make Georgia the number one state in the nation to live, work and raise a family.

Christopher Barnett, Executive Director of Parole

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Clemency / Parole Consideration

Parole releases increased during FY20 over the previous year. Meanwhile, prison admissions declined. The Parole Board released 10,429 offenders from prison through all forms of clemency to include releasing inmates on parole during the fiscal year. This total represented 974 more releases from the previous fiscal year.

In Georgia, clemency encompasses the parole decision making process. Clemency also pertains to the granting or denying of pardons and restoration of civil and political 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 and therefore must be considered by the Parole Board. As a result of data driven parole 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 $399,000,000 for FY20.
Parole Consideration and Decisions
Parole 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,

13,374 10,468 10,363 9,455 10,429

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. (Information contained in the parole case file can be found on page 20 of this report.)
Eligible inmates are automatically considered for parole. Three of the five board members must agree on a decision. In FY20, there were 20,556 offender files initiated for consideration by the Clemency Division. For more information about parole eligibility and the Parole Decision Guidelines Rating System visit: www.pap.georgia.gov.
FY16-FY20 Parole Releases
FY16 FY17 FY18 FY19 FY20

GPEDS Electronic Case Management (Formerly the Clemency Online Navigation System)
The process of preparing a case for consideration by the Board is completed electronically in GPEDS (Georgia Parole Evidence-based Data System). GPEDS is effective and efficient allowing 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 imaging remaining paper files.
The agency has 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.
GPEDS has significantly improved the agency's business processes. The electronic case file is established in GPEDS after the sentence package is electronically received from the Department of Corrections. Electronic notifications trigger actions moving the case toward a Board decision.
GPEDS generates notifications to judges, prosecutors, and law enforcement regarding clemency actions pending on parole eligible offender cases. Notifications are also generated to wardens and inmates regarding Board decisions.
In FY20, 30,014 notifications (all types) were generated by GPEDS. Please see additional information regarding statutory and other notifications

18 | Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles

ANNUAL REPORT 2020

made by the Board later in this report. There were 5,643 preconditions to parole im-
posed by the Board on inmates during the fiscal year.
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
When considering parole for those offenders who will become statutorily eligible for parole consideration and who are serving less than a life sentence, the Board reviews a recommendation of months, or a percentage of the sentence, to serve. This recommendation is obtained from the Parole Decision Guidelines Rating System or the guidelines. The guidelines account for the severity

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CLEMENCY / PAROLE CONSIDERATION

of the crime and the offender's risk to reoffend. The offender's risk to reoffend is determined by weighted factors concerning the offender's criminal and social history that the Board has found to have value in predicting the probability of further criminal behavior.
Revisions to the guidelines were completed in 2017. 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/parole-consideration-eligibility.
Tentative Parole Months
(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 "tentative 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.

What information is considered when determining who gets paroled?

In a guidelines case, the recommendation is derived from application of the Parole Decision Guidelines Rating System regarding the time the offender should serve prior to parole or if the offender should be denied parole and serve the entire prison sentence. The Board considers the recommendation and decides whether to agree. 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 an eligible inmate receives parole:

aggravating circumstances victim impact statements prosecutor/judicial statements legal investigations including details and
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 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

20 | Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles

Documents 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 petition for commutation of a death sentence

ANNUAL REPORT 2020

Georgia Department of Corrections' Performance Incentive Credit (PIC) Program
The Georgia Department of Corrections operates an inmate Performance Incentive Credit (PIC) program. By completing rehabilitative programming while incarcerated, state inmates can work toward an earlier possible parole release. The Parole Board determines which parole eligible inmates who have earned PIC may be allowed an earlier release on parole. The PIC program prepares offenders for success after release and assists the state in better utilization of prison beds at a cost savings to taxpayers. Inmates deemed eligible by the Department of Corrections for the PIC program may have their TPM (Tentative Parole Month) advanced a few months by completing educational, vocational, and treatment programs and work details during their incarceration. The Parole Board Members have discretion to determine if an inmate who has earned PIC through program completions will have his/her established TPM moved to an earlier date. If the Board grants earned PIC to an inmate, the TPM is updated and the process toward a final release decision continues. In FY20, the Parole Board members granted 39,374 PIC or PIC points to state inmates who had earned them by completing specific programming and work details. Each PIC point equals one month that a TPM can be changed to an earlier date.
Final Review Process
As the 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

PICs Awarded

FY17 23,958

FY18

35,839

FY19

37,012

FY20

39,374

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.
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 sending notifications throughout the process to stakeholders including victims, judges and prosecutors. 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 GA-V.I.P. at https://pap.georgia.gov/victim-informationprogram-vip)
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CLEMENCY / PAROLE CONSIDERATION

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 their view of the case.
In order to ensure the Board has current information about cases, the Board sends a notification to judges and district attorneys six months prior to specific offenders becoming parole eligible. This notification is sent regarding "serious felony" cases. The Board sends the "second solicitation/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. In FY20, 1,518 of these case notifications or second solicitations/notifications were sent to judges and prosecutors. These notifications are sent re-

garding 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 in 2017, 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, according to the statute, also gives the offender being considered an opportunity to submit information. This additional notification allows for another opportunity for the Parole Board Members to receive additional information or current community views regarding the scheduled parole

for the offender. In FY20, the Board sent 90-day notifications in 347 cases. (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 the county of conviction) 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)
The Clemency Division, in addition, sends the 72-hour notification in "serious violent felony" cases to the district attorney and sheriff of the county where the offender is being released to, if different from the county of conviction.
If released on parole, parole certificates are forwarded to the clerks of court for each docket the inmate received parole.
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.

22 | Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles

ANNUAL REPORT 2020

AVG. TIME SERVED (years)

Life Sentence Time Served for Serious Violent Felonies Parole Eligible Offenders

30 25 20 15 10
5 0
1973

2000

2010

2020

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 the 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 FY 2020, the average time served was 27 years.

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 14 years. If the crime is committed after July 1, 2006, the offender is eligible for parole after serving 30 years.

FY 2020 Parole Decisions for Parole Eligible Inmates Serving Life Sentences



223 GRANTED

1,786 DENIED

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CLEMENCY / PAROLE CONSIDERATION
24 | Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles

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 for a required period of years following the completion of their sentence(s), to include parole or probation.
The pardon process is continuously reviewed in order to ensure informed decisions are the result. The current application requires applicants to provide 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
Pardon Administration Unit FY20
763 Applications received (all types) 157 Pardons granted without firearms
being restored
166 Pardons granted with firearms being restored
68 Restorations of civil and political rights
11 Restorations of civil and political rights with firearms restored
402 Total applications granted (including applications filed in previous year)

ANNUAL REPORT 2020

years for all other conviction types. As a part of the application process, 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.
A state law adopted 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 exceeds the statutory requirements and sends these notifications regarding all applications received. During FY20, the Parole Board sent 323 notifications to registered victims and district attorneys regarding ex-offenders applying for pardons.
In FY20, 763 pardon and restoration of rights applications were received and 402 were granted (all types). There were 101 more applications received during the fiscal year compared to the previous year.
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.
Sixty-one (61) investigators work in the Clemency Division. Forty-four (44) investigators are assigned to the field and predominantly complete post sentence investigations and profiles for all offenders sentenced by Georgia courts. Nine (9) 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.

The Board has eight (8) P.O.S.T. (Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council) certified criminal investigators who conduct face-to-face interviews of inmates serving a life sentence with the possibility of parole and these investigators interview all former offenders who are applying for restoration of civil and political rights, a pardon or a pardon with firearm restoration.
These investigators utilize their experience and interviewing techniques to collect necessary information required by the Board Members in order to make decisions in these cases.
In FY20, the clemency investigators completed 39,060 investigations for the Parole Board.
Critical Analysis Unit
The mission of the Critical Analysis Unit (CAU) is to investigate, prepare and submit specialized parole eligible cases to the Board for consideration and to support the operations of the Clemency Division through comprehensive audits, analysis and continuous training and development.
Analyzing, understanding and providing information to the Board regarding crime trends and criminal behaviors is important to the Board in
Fiscal Year Clemency Actions
Parole Certificates............................................. 7,014
Out-of-State Parole Orders ...................................330
Conditional Transfers...........................................829
Out-of-State Conditional Transfers.........................219
Supervised Reprieves ...........................................981
Out-of-State Supervised Reprieves........................... 8
Commutations.................................................... 918
Medical Reprieves ................................................ 41
Out-of-State ICE Orders.......................................... 89

order to make an informed decision regarding a release. CAU personnel are on call 24-hours a day, seven days a week, assisting the Clemency Division with operations and response to critical incidents and major investigations involving parole eligible offenders housed in the Georgia Department of Corrections. This unit collaborates with the Georgia Department of Corrections regarding Security Threat Groups (STG), gang offenders, offenders with Immigration and
Total Prison Releases by Parole ....................... 10,429 Total Discharges from Parole ............................ 7,130 Total Guidelines Decisions.............................. 13,458 Life Sentence Cases Denied Parole .................... 1,786 Life Sentence Cases Granted Parole .....................223 Total Life Sentence Case Decisions.................... 2,009 Restoration of Civil and Political Rights Granted ..... 79 Pardon Grants .....................................................323 Total Pardons & Restorations Granted ...................402

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CLEMENCY / PAROLE CONSIDERATION
Customs detainers and those offenders who are classified with medical requirements in order to provide Parole Board Members with critical case information prior to the parole decision.
The CAU's responsibilities include: 1. Managing the operational plan for the Clem-
ency Division's intelligence functions, including the mission, goals, and objectives, as a guide to submitting cases to the Board. 2. Researching and analyzing data in order to develop forecasts, estimates and models to support recommendations. 3. Developing and coordinating proficiency training and audits in the various units within the Clemency Division in order to maintain effective and efficient operations. The Clemency Division is tasked with preparing cases for the Board to consider. The first step in processing cases for consideration is referred to as initializing the case. This includes reviewing the sentencing package for completeness, determining consideration type and requesting legal investigations. In FY20, 20,556 cases were initialized. In FY20, the Board considered 21,790 cases for releases or future tentative parole months. 1,977 life sentenced cases 13,458 guideline cases 6,355 short sentence cases
CAU Hearing Examiners are tasked monthly to monitor final reviews. In FY20, 10,543 final reviews were completed.
CAU randomly audits cases to ensure accuracy before submitting the cases to the Board. For FY20, audits revealed the following: 100% Accuracy in rating on Risk Levels 97% Accuracy in rating on CSL (crime severity
levels) Only six cases were required to be resubmitted
to the Board following CAU audits.
26 | Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles

PAROLE PROCESS PRE-DECISION

CONVICTION
1 Sentence computed by DOC Offender Administration sent to the Board

CASE
"INITIALIZED"
2 Parole Eligibility Date (PED) set and legal investigations ordered

INVESTIGATIONS Parole Investigator
3 Initial DA input is solicited at time the legal is written for all offenses

6 MONTHS BEFORE PED Secondary solicitation
4 notifications sent to DAs and judges for the most serious violent and sexual offenders

PAROLE

HEARING

5

ELIGIBILITY DATE OCGA 42.9.45(b) 42.9.46(1/3)

6

EXAMINER Prepare case for board consideration

7 BOARD CONSIDERATION
PAROLE PROCESS POST-DECISION

TENTATIVE
8 PAROLE MONTH ESTABLISHED

INMATE NOTIFIED
9 FIRST PER BOARD RULES

90-DAY
10 NOTIFICATION To DA if a "Serious Violent Felony"

VICTIMS NOTIFIED
11 Office of Victim Services registered victims notified

FINAL REVIEW
Institutional conduct,
12 program completion, new victim, DA, judge or
stakeholder input

VICTIMS & DA
13 Case reviews verifying notification

72 HR NOTIFICATION
14 Pending release OCGA 42.9.41 & OCGA 42.9.44(a)

15 RELEASE

ANNUAL REPORT 2020

Field Services Division

The mission of the Field Services Division is to effectively and efficiently manage the processes related to Parole Violations, Commutations, and the Interstate Compact. The 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. In addition, if a parolee meets specific requirements, a request for commutation can be submitted to the Board. The district operations managers facilitate the revocation, commutation, and Interstate Compact processes for the Board. The Field Services Division comprises four units: the Scanning and Imaging Unit, the Warrant/GCIC Entry Unit, the Violations/Commutations Unit, and the Interstate Compact Unit.
FY20 Parole Population
During Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20), the population of offenders on parole under community supervision increased from 20,719 on July 1, 2019, to 21,069 on June 30, 2020. The number of offenders discharged from parole was 7,130. The percentage of successful parole completion was 73% for the fiscal year. The cumulative number of offenders under parole supervision during the fiscal year was 30,830. Offenders released on parole are supervised by the Georgia Department of Community Supervision.
Parole Violations
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

80% 70% 60%

PAROLE COMPLETION RATES (National figures from Bureau of Justice Statistics) Georgia U.S.A.

50%

Estimated

40% FY16

FY17

FY18

FY19

FY20

pap.ga.gov | 27

FIELD SERVICES DIVISION

Parole Revocations FY16-FY20

FY16 FY17 FY18 FY19 FY20

2,505 2,681
2,525 2,720
2,199

violate the terms of their release may have their parole revoked and be returned to prison. 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. The recommendation to the Board could be treatment referral up to revocation of parole.
Warrants/GCIC
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 FY20, a total of 5,768 warrants were issued by the Parole Board.
If the offender cannot be immediately located, the Parole Board Warrant is then placed in the Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC) system or the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) system. Both systems are connected to the Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) database that is used by law enforcement agencies for wanted person entry. In FY20, the GCIC Unit

entered 3,263 warrants into the GCIC/NCIC system. By accessing the system, law enforcement agencies know if an offender should be taken into custody.
Revocations & Parole Revocation Hearings
During FY20, the Board revoked 2,199 parole violators returning offenders to prison to serve their sentences in confinement. The number revoked decreased by 521 from the previous fiscal year. Of the FY20 total number of revocations, less than 1% of those revoked, were revoked on the basis of technical violations 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 enforce-

28 | Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles

ANNUAL REPORT 2020

ment of intermediate sanctions, such as treatment referral, administrative hearings, electronic monitoring, 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 210 final revocation hearings during FY20. 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.
The 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. 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.
Commutations
The State Board of Pardons and Paroles may grant other forms of clemency to meet special needs of the criminal justice system. The Parole Board has the authority to commute an offender's sentence to time-served. This includes offend-

ers serving parole. Offenders serving parole may petition to have their prison sentences commuted by the Board. Senate Bill 174, passed in 2017, included a provision requiring the Board to consider commuting the sentences of specific offenders serving a split sentence who have successfully completed twelve (12) consecutive months of parole supervision (O.C.G.A. 42-8-21). Under provisions of the legislation, offenders must have probation to serve following the prison portion of their sentence. The district operations managers conduct a thorough investigation of cases meeting the criteria for consideration by the Board. During FY 2020, the Parole Board considered 1,248 cases for commutation under SB174 and commuted sixteen (16) cases that met the strict criteria of the Board. Under SB174, the prison/ parole portion of the sentence ends and the case transfers to probation supervision.

District Operations Managers
The district operations manager thoroughly investigates alleged parole violations and commutation requests and determines what appropriate actions are to be recommended to the Board in the interest of public safety. This may include that a Board Warrant be issued in order to take an offender into custody or a request for additional investigative information. The district operations managers are assigned to the ten (10) Judicial Districts in the state of Georgia and are an integral link between the Board and the Department of Community Supervision (DCS), as it relates to parole violators and commutations.
District operations managers are P.O.S.T. certified officers and P.O.S.T. certified general and or firearm instructors. In addition to managing the parole violations, revocation and commutation process, they provide training to other law enforce-
pap.ga.gov | 29

FIELD SERVICES DIVISION

Cost Avoidance

The graph below for FY16-FY20 shows

cost of incarceration versus cost of super-

vision, per day, for state of Georgia.

Cost per day

Incarceration

Parole

FY
16 $3.54
FY
17 $2.12
FY
18 $2.11
FY
19 $2.18
FY
20 $2.19

$52.95 $53.76
$61.00 $61.73 $61.73*

* Most recent Ga. Dept. of Corrections' cost per day

Fiscal Year Cost Avoidance
The fiscal year cost avoidance is calculated based on the FY20 cost per day to incarcerate a state inmate in Georgia ($61.73*) compared to the community supervision cost per day ($2.19). In FY20, the annual cost avoidance to the prison system as a result of offenders serving their sentence on parole is calculated at more than
$399 million.
FY19 $433 million FY18 $450 million FY17 $377 million FY16 $450 million
* Most recent Ga. Dept. of Corrections' cost per day

30 | Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles

ment and perform Board security and special law enforcement details. They are required to annually complete twenty (20) hours of P.O.S.T. training which includes weapons requalification.
Interstate Compact
The State Board of Pardons and Paroles, in FY20, 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 comprises all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands. The State Board of Pardons and Paroles' Interstate Compact Unit is responsible for processing the transfer of all Georgia inmates paroling to an out-of-state residence. In addition, the unit responded to violations, conducted probable cause hearings, handled extraditions and addressed victim issues relating to these cases. During FY20, the unit released 398 offenders to out-of-state supervision. As of June 30, 2020, there were 2,456 Georgia offend-

ers under active parole supervision in Compact states and 1,431 other Compact state offenders on parole supervision in Georgia.
Another responsibility of the unit is 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, 95 foreign national offenders were released to ICE for deportation at an estimated cost avoidance of $5,336,319.
Scanning and Imaging
The Scanning and Imaging Unit has an integral role in the Parole Board's transition to a paperless environment. During FY20, 31,138 documents were scanned into the case management systems (Portal, GPEDS 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. There were 494 active lifer offender parole files scanned and 9,234 archived files imaged during the fiscal year. There are approximately 154,018 archived files remaining to be imaged. Upon completion, all of the Parole Board's files will be accessible electronically.
New Direction Recovery Program
The New Direction Recovery Program located at the Treutlen Probation Detention Center is an intensive addiction program for parolees who are both higher risk and higher need offenders who were not successful in community-based treatment and supervision. The Parole Board utilizes the program as an alternative to revocation for some offenders. For FY20, 127 parolees were referred to the program. As of June 30, 2020, 120 parolees had graduated from the program during the fiscal year and were returned to parole supervision. Some graduates were enrolled during the previous fiscal year.

ANNUAL REPORT 2020

Georgia Office of Victim Services

The Georgia Office of Victim Services (GOVS) ensures the registered crime victim's voice is heard throughout the parole process. The office represents three state agencies which are the State Board of Pardons and Paroles, the Department of Corrections and the Department of Community Supervision. This office serves registered crime victims regarding offenders in prison or under community supervision. The office provides victims with updates pertaining to the parole status of the offender and notifies registered victims if an offender is being considered for parole and if the offender is released from confinement.
This office operates the Georgia Victim Information Program or GA-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, GOVS also serves crime victims by conducting Victims Visitors' Days.
The office corresponds with victims and receives information directly from crime victims. In FY20, 10,741 phone calls from victims were handled by staff, 16,460 outgoing correspondences were sent to victims in response to concerns and 8,144 correspondences were received from victims and filed with the office.
Georgia Victim Information Program - GA-V.I.P.
GA-V.I.P. is a 24-hour automated information system providing registered crime victims and/ or their family members, with access to information about their offender. By completing a victim impact statement or crime victim notification

request form, victims can be registered with GAV.I.P. The forms can be completed online at www. pap.georgia.gov or forms can be requested by calling 404-651-6668 or 1-800-593-9474.
Upon registering, victims are issued a PIN (Personal Identification Number). When accessing the system (1-800-593-9474), victims can learn the status of the offender. Also through GA-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.
Georgia Office of Victim Services
FY20
10,741
telephone calls handled
16,460
pieces of correspondence sent
8,144
pieces of correspondence received

For FY20, there were 3,359 new GA-V.I.P. registrants and 4,389 phone calls from victims were logged into the system.
Victim Offender Dialogue
The Victim Offender Dialogue (VOD) program provides an opportunity for victims of violent crime to have a safe, structured, 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. Additionally, the

pappa.gpa.g.gao.gvov | | 3131

OFFICE OF VICTIM SERVICES
offender must agree to participate, and must acknowledge his/her role in the crime.
VOD requires a lengthy preparation process which involves both the victim and the offender working separately with a trained facilitator. In FY20, five (5) Victim Offender Dialogue sessions were completed.
Victim Support Partners
Victim Support Partners (VSPs) is a statewide network of crime victims who are registered with the Georgia Office of Victim Services. This group consists of eleven (11) victim-volunteers who give their time to assist, guide, and comfort other crime victims during the post-conviction process. They also participate in community events involving the Georgia Office of Victim Services. During FY20, VSPs completed nearly 100 volunteer hours supporting other Georgia crime victims.
32 | Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles

Victims Visitors' Days
Victims Visitors' Day (VVD) is a partnership between GOVS, and District Attorneys' Victim Witness Assistance Programs throughout the state. VVD provides a unique opportunity for crime victims to meet face-to-face in a confidential setting to discuss their case with Parole Board members and leadership from each of the agencies that GOVS represents; the State Board of Pardons and Paroles, Department of Corrections, and Department of Community Supervision. Crime victims can voice the impact of the crime, receive information concerning the current status of the offender and can register to receive future notifications regarding the status of the case. Since the program's beginning in 2006, the Georgia Office of Victim Services has hosted 31 separate events with 22 different judicial circuits, serving 4,135 crime victims including family members.
Community Outreach
The Georgia Office of Victim Services collaborates with state and local agencies to increase awareness about the services available to crime victims. In FY20, staff from the Georgia Office of Victim Services along with Victim Support Partners, attended community events held in various locations in Georgia. During these events staff registered crime victims for notification, explained the post-conviction process, and distributed nearly 200 informational packets.

ANNUAL REPORT 2020 pap.ga.gov | 33

Human Resources & Training
Full-time Employees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170 Female . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140 Male . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Staff by race/ethnicity

Asian

2

Black

102

White

66

Staff by age groups

20-29

11

30-39

34

40-49

50

50-59

56

60 Plus

19

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, use of deadly force and De-escalation and Community Policing training. Non-sworn staff must complete a minimum of eight hours of training annually. Both sworn and non-sworn staff must complete Unlawful Harassment and Professionalism, and Ethics training each year as a part of their training hours and any other training as prescribed by law.
34 | Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles

TRAINING DELIVERED IN FY 2020
To sworn staff.................................2,813 hours To non-sworn staff........................2,087 hours Agency training hours delivered ....2,191 hours

Budget

PERSONAL SERVICES REGULAR OPERATING COMPUTER CHARGES REAL ESTATE RENTAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS
CONTRACTS COUNTY JAIL SUBSIDY

$15,265,387 $450,591 $139,341 $425,980 $153,707 $341,561 $178,230

TOTAL EXPENDITURES FOR FY 2020 $16,954,797

Personal Services 90.04%

ANNUAL REPORT 2020
Regular Operating 2.66% Computer Charges 0.82% Real Estate Rental 2.51% Telecommunications 0.91% Contracts 2.01% County Jail Subsidy 1.05%

FY 2020 EXPENDITURES BY FUND TYPE
FEDERAL OTHER STATE TOTAL FUNDS

$94,170 $55,510 $16,805,117 $16,954,797

FY 2020 EXPENDITURES BY PROGRAM (total funds)

PROGRAM

TOTAL % OF TOTAL

BOARD ADMINISTRATION CLEMENCY DECISIONS VICTIM SERVICES TOTAL

2,130,398 14,226,775
597,624 16,954,797

12.57% 83.91% 3.52% 100.00%

FY 2020 APPROPRIATIONS BY PROGRAM (state funds only)

PROGRAM

FY 2020 BUDGET AFY 2020 BUDGET

BOARD ADMINISTRATION CLEMENCY DECISIONS VICTIM SERVICES TOTAL STATE FUNDS

2,602,328 15,096,450
509,993 18,208,771

2,259,905 14,735,856
487,373 17,483,134

FY 2020 - AFY 2020 BUDGET BY FUND TYPE (total funds)

FUND TYPE

FY 2020 BUDGET AFY 2020 BUDGET

STATE FUNDS

18,208,771

17,483,134

FEDERAL FUNDS

-

94,170

OTHER FUNDS

-

55,511

TOTAL FUNDS

18,208,771

17,632,815

pap.ga.gov | 35

State Board of Pardons and Paroles
Annual Report Fiscal Year 2020
Martin Luther King Jr. Drive S.E. Suite 458, East Tower
Atlanta, GA 30334-4909
404.657.9450 www.pap.georgia.gov