Georgia’s Parole Board Members continue to meet the needs of crime victims by conducting Victims Visitors' Days across the state. Confidential meetings with victims were conducted in Cordele last October. It marked the 28th such event since 2006 where victims meet privately with a parole board member to discuss the crime, its impact, and the parole status of the offender responsible. More than 160 victims and family members attended the Victims Visitors’ Day conducted by the Board and the Georgia Office of Victim Services in partnership with the Cordele Judicial Circuit Victim-Witness Assistance Program and the Office of District Attorney Brad Rigby.
Parole Board Chairman James Mills spoke at the event’s morning ceremony. Mills said, in order for the Board to make informed parole decisions, the Board needs victim input.
“We’re here today to hear information from you, information that we can’t find in an inmate’s file, information that we can’t find sometimes in a court document, but information that can only be relayed to us sometimes by the victim,” said Mills.
The Victims Visitors’ Day was held at Blackshear Place in Cordele.
Crime victims not previously registered with the state were able to register enabling them to receive notifications regarding status changes with the offender including Board decisions and possible releases. Victims were also able to meet with staff from the Department of Corrections and the Department of Community Supervision.
Victims' Voices Matter
Information received by the Board from victims is included in the parole case files and available for review by the Board Members when statutorily parole eligible inmates are considered. The Board discussed more than 60 parole case files of state inmates with their victims at the event.
Chairman Mills promised the victims that the Board Members would listen to every victim and each concern.
“We love to help people, and that’s what we feel like we’re here to do,” stated Mills.
Superior Court Judge of the Cordele Judicial Circuit, Denise Fachini, thanked the Board for bringing the Victims Visitors’ Day to Cordele.
“We do not find state or federal agencies willing to come to our community and explain how they work. I find it very progressive on the part of the Parole Board to do just that. It is rare to have our governing bodies in Atlanta listening to what we have to say in South Georgia. This is a good way to treat people and it is a good program,” stated Judge Fachini.
Including the Victims Visitors' Day at Cordele, the Board and the Georgia Office of Victim Services have met with more than 3,400 victims and family members since 2006. Twenty (20) different Georgia communities have hosted.
Georgia Parole Review
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