FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

State Board of Pardons and Paroles Named a Finalist for

2014 Excalibur Awards

Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) to select winners from among finalists on

October 24th

ATLANTA (October 2, 2014) – The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG), the state’s leading association dedicated to the promotion and economic advancement of Georgia’s technology industry, today announced  that the State Board of Pardons and Paroles has been chosen as a finalist for the 2014 Excalibur Awards.

Winners are selected from among the finalists and will be officially recognized at the 2014 Excalibur Awards ceremony on October 24, 2014 at the Georgia Aquarium located at 225 Baker St NW, in Downtown Atlanta.

The Annual Excalibur Awards celebrates Georgia companies and organizations that demonstrate the best use of technology, typically provided by a third-party, to solve complex issues and processes in business and education. Tech-enabled companies that develop their own non-commercial technology solutions to enhance their organization are also considered for the awards which are presented by TAG in collaboration with the Business and Technology Alliance of TAG (B&TA). Platinum Sponsors for the event includes ASAP Solutions Group, Jabian Consulting, and Primus Software Corporation.

The State Board of Pardons and Paroles was selected from among over 90 applications submitted by companies and organizations from across Georgia. For this consideration, the Parole Board tested and deployed advanced voice recognition products developed by AnyTrax, a Decatur based company. The first is a Self Report application, in which low risk parolees make monthly telephone calls to report their status and any problems.  Parole officers are able to quickly and efficiently review the results, which are automatically placed into field case notes. Based upon the success of self reporting, the Parole Board worked with AnyTrax to develop a home curfew monitoring function as an inexpensive alternative to equipment-based home electronic monitoring.  Again using voice recognition, parolees confined to their home respond to random telephone calls.  Most recently, the Parole Board deployed AnyTrax’s CellTrax, a GPS monitoring program. Using the offender’s own smartphone and advanced voiceprint biometrics, CellTrax provides around-the-clock parolee location tracking. 

With AnyTrax’s self-reporting application, hours spent on low-level cases have been redirected to high-level cases, increasing public safety and promoting successful outcomes. Field contacts with higher risk cases have increased by 22%.  All three programs are completely offender funded.    

The Parole Board’s Executive Director Michael Nail stated, “The success of the AnyTrax initiatives has greatly changed the way Georgia Parole officers supervise their case loads. Public safety has increased since more attention is given to higher risk cases, and at the same time we were able to reduce costs to Georgia taxpayers.  This clearly demonstrates that public and private partnerships can work when pursuing the same goal.”

“We are truly pleased to honor the recipients of the 2014 Excalibur Awards,” said Tino Mantella, president & CEO of TAG. “This year’s competition was fierce, as we had our largest and best group of entrees since our event’s origin, eight years ago. We believe celebrating these tech-enabled companies and organizations strengthens our message of Georgia’s emerging position as a national leader in technology.”

To learn more, about the 2014 Excalibur Awards please visit: http://www.tagonline.org/events/excalibur-awards/.

About the State Board of Pardons and Paroles

The State Board of Pardons and Paroles is a part of the executive branch of Georgia's government, constitutionally authorized to grant paroles, pardons, reprieves, remissions, commutations, and restore civil and political rights.  The Parole Board has five members appointed by the Governor to staggered seven year terms.  Parole is the discretionary decision of the Board (by majority vote) to release an offender from prison confinement after serving an appropriate portion of a prison sentence.

The Parole Board is an integral component of the Criminal Justice System, focusing on public safety through informed released decisions and effective parole supervision.  Persons granted paroles are under state supervision according to conditions, which if violated allow for return to prison.  Paroled offenders account for 10% of Georgia's offender population, with over 25,000 parolees under supervision.  For more information please visit:  www.pap.georgia.gov.

About The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG)

The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) is the leading technology industry association in the state, serving more than 24,000 members and hosting over 200 events each year. TAG serves as an umbrella organization for 34 industry societies, each of which provides rich content for TAG constituents. TAG’s mission is to educate, promote, and unite Georgia’s technology community to foster an innovative and connected marketplace that stimulates and enhances a tech-based economy. For more information visit the TAG website at www.tagonline.org.

###