National Crime Victims’ Rights Week ceremony held in honor of victims of crime

Atlanta, GA – More than 200 victims of crime discussed the crimes that made them victims with the State Board of Pardons and Paroles today, Monday, April 7, 2014. The agency conducted a Victims Visitors’ Day in Forsyth at the Department of Corrections’ headquarters, as a part of the ceremonies being held to commemorate National Crime Victims Rights Week. The victims and family members were able to meet with parole staff and an individual Parole Board Member to discuss the offenders and their parole status.

“They share intricate details of these crimes, especially if violent, and they tell us how the crime has impacted their lives, and the lives of their family. They express their desire to keep that offender in prison as long as possible,” said Parole Board Chairman Albert Murray.

Murray says he had over 20 meetings during the day with victims. Four of the five voting Board Members were able to see victims and all conducted a similar number of meetings.

Information given to the Parole Board during the Victims Visitors’ Day is included in the offender’s case file for the Board Members to be able to review when determining whether to parole an offender.

Victims were thankful for being able to have the meetings.

“It was nice to sit down face-to-face with a Board Member. It was a great experience, not knowing how they (Parole Board) work,” said Dennis Albright from Warner Robins, Georgia.  Albright’s daughter, 23-year old Nina Albright was murdered in 1998 in Perry, Georgia. The inmate is serving life in prison with the possibility of parole for murder and will have his case come up for review by the Parole Board in 2018.

Mabel Dye, another victim attending Monday, said the day was very informative. “I don’t feel like I’m out there alone,” Dye said, referring to being able to see and talk to other crime victims during the day’s events.

The 2014 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is celebrated this week, Sunday, April 6th through Saturday April 12th. A ceremony honoring victims was held in the morning which was followed by an agency leader roundtable. Agency leaders of the state’s Multi-Agency Victim Services Partnership discussed the services they provide to victims of crime. An open house followed at which victims were able to discuss services with the participating agencies. All events were held at State Offices South at Tift Campus in Forsyth.

The theme for the 2014 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is, “30 Years: Restoring the Balance of Justice.” This year’s recognition marks the important milestone of the passage of the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) in 1984.

The Multi-Agency Victim Services Partnership consists of the following agencies: Administrative Office of the Courts, Georgia Commission on Family Violence, Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, Department of Corrections, Department of Juvenile Justice, Department of Public Safety, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Governor’s Office of Children and Families, Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, State Board of Pardons and Paroles, and Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia.

Georgia’s Parole Board consists of five voting members who are full-time employees. During the last fiscal year, they made more than 88,000 decisions.

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

           

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