Parole is about public safety
The State Board of Pardons and Paroles partners with officials across Georgia creating a safer Georgia.
As a result of meetings with the Savannah Legislative Delegation and the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of Georgia (PACGA) the Parole Board is adding a third notification to prosecutors that an offender is being considered for parole.
District Attorneys are already notified at the beginning of the parole process as the Board conducts post conviction investigations. At that time the Board contacts prosecutors initially to gain information on the offender and the case. Protests are often filed at that time by prosecutors objecting to parole for a particular offender.
A statutory 72-hour notification is issued to prosecutors, judges and law enforcement prior to an actual parole release, allowing for their input again.
As a result of the meetings, the Board will begin sending prosecutors another notification essentially in the middle of the process at the time the Board is considering an inmate for future possible parole. (What is a TPM?) A 60-day period will exist allowing for information to be sent to the Board regarding the offender and the case. The new notification will fall between the initial post adjudication notification and the 72-hour notification.
"This will assist the Board and prosecutors if they have additional information they wish the Board to consider when the offender is initially being considered for parole," states Chris Barnett, Director of Parole.
The new notification will only apply to certain types of convictions as agreed to by PACGA and the Board.
The Board also met recently with Dougherty Judicial Circuit District Attorney Greg Edwards. Edwards told Board officials he would certainly share with his local law enforcement the information about Parole's law enforcement link on its website.
The agency's parole data base is available at pap.georgia.gov and allows the public to find anyone on parole.
Board Seeking More DA Input
Georgia Parole Review
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