ATLANTA – Parole Board Chairman Terry E. Barnard today, speaking on behalf of the five-member board, says the agency supports Governor Deal’s proposal to consolidate community supervision into a new Department of Community Supervision.

“I have been pleased by the many accomplishments the Governor has made with Criminal Justice Reform. I am impressed with the concept to consolidate state supervision of felony offenders into one delivery unit. There is much yet to work out; however, I believe that our agency, the Parole Board, has much to offer the new proposed agency,” said Barnard.

Barnard says the Parole Board will be a major participant and a key partner in the development of the new proposed agency utilizing and building upon the many accomplishments of the Board over the past four years.

“This agency continues to maintain one of the nation’s highest parole success rates, as more than 70% of the offenders under our supervision successfully complete supervision. As a result, the Georgia Parole Board is recognized by other paroling authorities across the nation for this and the many other advancements we have initiated over the past four years,” stated Barnard.

Barnard cites the agency’s virtual office concept that places parole officers in communities full-time, creating expanded community supervision of offenders. The Board also initiated a voice recognition system to monitor and supervise parolees who have proven successful under regular supervision. By moving these offenders to voice recognition supervision, the Board has redirected additional parole officer resources to those offenders who require a higher level of direct community supervision, thereby increasing public safety.

Barnard further stated that the Parole Board continues to provide excellent reentry services and opportunities for inmates being paroled from Georgia’s prisons and the Board continues to work closely with the Governor’s Office of Transition, Support, and Reentry to improve an offender’s opportunity for a successful and sustainable return to society. “The State Board of Pardons and Paroles will continue to work hard to improve public safety through the best community supervision provided in the nation.”

For more information on the Parole Board, please visit the website at www.pap.georgia.gov.

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