Atlanta – Terry E. Barnard has been re-elected chairman of the State Board of Pardons and Paroles. At the Board’s monthly meeting on Tuesday, May 5, 2015, the Parole Board re-elected Mr. Barnard as chairman and Mr. James Mills as vice chairman for FY 2016.

“I am proud to be called on by my colleagues on the board to continue serving in this leadership role,” stated Barnard.

“It is an exciting time for criminal justice reform in Georgia, particularly with the creation of the new Department of Community Supervision (DCS). The Parole Board working alongside the Department of Corrections and the Department of Juvenile Justice will help make DCS a model agency for supervising felony offenders,” Barnard added.

Mr. Barnard was first appointed to the Board in May of 2010. He was reappointed to a full seven year term in December of 2010. Mr. Barnard has previously served two years as vice chairman of the Board.

Mr. Mills was appointed to the Board in November 2011. He served as vice chairman for FY 2015.

Paroled Offender Speaks to the Parole Board

Parolee Randy Davis is a Braille Specialist working at Georgia Tech. Davis took time off from work to speak to the Parole Board at the Board’s monthly meeting in Atlanta. It was the Department of Corrections’ Braille Transcribers program that gave Davis an opportunity at a second chance in the free world.

“I had the opportunity to get the position (Georgia Tech) because of prison. I devoted my time to reconstructing who I was,” stated Davis. He says the opportunity to learn Braille transcribing revealed itself in Prison. “So I jumped at the opportunity and my journey with Braille began.”

Davis says Georgia’s visually impaired children benefit from the prison Braille program.

“The focus of the prison inmate training program is to produce Braille books for those children. It was an opportunity to help another; that was the main draw. The amazing thing is that I received more help than I gave. I’m here today because of that program and the opportunity it gave me. It has afforded me to advance myself and now I’m able to give back by training inmates at another prison Braille program. That opportunity really helped rebuild my self-esteem.”

Davis is using his skills learned in prison on the job working for AMAC Accessibility Solutions at Georgia Tech, where Braille textbooks are produced and shipped to customers.

Davis says one of his goals is to further promote prison Braille programs as a means for rehabilitating inmates and assisting them as they re-enter society.

“That’s my greatest joy, to help, both sides, the kids that need these materials and the men and women who are getting the opportunity to produce these materials,” in prison, Davis said.

He thanked the Board for providing him the opportunity through a parole release.

“This opportunity means so much, not only to me, but to my new daughter, my family and mostly to the kids who we provide the text books for so they have the opportunity to further their education. It’s wonderful to be a part of that.”

Parole Board Chairman Terry Barnard invited Davis to speak at the meeting. Barnard says through opportunities provided to inmates in the prison system, many offenders are successful while under parole supervision.

“Mr. Davis is just one example of parole success in Georgia. Offenders who take advantage of the opportunities that exist in prison and once on parole, can be successful and at the same time provide for safer communities,” Barnard said.

Barnard noted Georgia’s parole success rate of 72%, among the highest in the nation and well above the national average.

To learn more about the Department of Corrections’ Braille Program visit https://www.youtube.com/user/GACorrections/search?query=Braille

Chairman Terry E. Barnard

Parole Board Chairman Terry E. Barnard is a former State Representative serving nearly 16 years in the Georgia House of Representatives prior to being appointed to the State Board of Pardons and Paroles. During his eight-term legislative tenure, the Coastal Georgia Lawmaker served the state as a member of several key House Committees to include Appropriations, Natural Resources, Agriculture, Children and Youth, Rules and State Institutions and Property, where he served as the chairman for six years.

Mr. Barnard’s legislative experience and knowledge of the Georgia Department of Corrections has proven invaluable as he continues to serve. In 1995-1996, Mr. Barnard guided through the Georgia House, the framework for the State Sex Offenders Registry and Sexual Offender Registration Review Board. As a result, interested parties can easily learn if a convicted sex offender is living in a neighborhood of interest.

In 2012, Mr. Barnard was appointed by Governor Nathan Deal to the State Commission on Family Violence and he was re-appointed to the Commission in January of 2015. The commission works to educate and raise awareness about family violence in Georgia. The commission evaluates services, researches the need for additional services and offers and monitors proposed legislation concerning family violence.

Mr. Barnard resides in Shellman Bluff and is a native of Tattnall County. He is a graduate of Atlantic Community College and has a strong background in business. Mr. Barnard has more than 18 years of experience in the financial industry. He served as Vice President and Manager of First Citizens Bank of Reidsville, and as a regional marketing director for Green Tree Acceptance, a national mortgage lender.

He is involved in a local Baptist Church and takes part in many community events and activities.

Vice Chairman James W. Mills

Vice Chairman James W. Mills, of Hall County, was sworn in as a member of the Parole Board on November 14, 2011. The former State Representative served nineteen years in the legislature representing the 25th district. Mr. Mills served as Secretary of the Rules Committee and was a member of the Appropriations, Banks and Banking, and the Ways and Means committees. He also served previously as chairman of the Banks and Banking committee.

During his legislative service, Mr. Mills sponsored or assisted in passage of notable and important legislation. His amendment placed, “IN GOD WE TRUST,” on the Georgia state flag. Mr. Mills passed “proof of citizenship when registering to vote” legislation. He also helped pass the Georgia Mortgage Fraud law allowing district attorneys to prosecute mortgage fraud. Mr. Mills also passed the “Option of Adoption” legislation, the first of its kind in the nation.

Mr. Mills was named Christian Coalition Legislator of the Year in 2001. In 2007, he was named “Legislator of the Year” by the Georgia Retail Association and he received the “Outstanding American Award.”

Mr. Mills is a successful businessman. He has been invited to the White House on two occasions as recognition for his tax cutting efforts as a state legislator. Three times he has been named to the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Who’s Who in Finance. Mr. Mills graduated from Mercer University in 1985 with a bachelor’s degree. In 1990, he received a master’s from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (N.O.B.T.S).

Mr. Mills is involved in many youth community activities and he’s led numerous overseas mission trips through his local church. Mr. Mills is from Gainesville.

The Board consists of five full-time members who make parole decisions. During FY 2014, the Board made more than 76,000 clemency decisions regarding parole cases.

For more information please contact the Office of Communications, at 404-657-9450 or [email protected] or visit our website at www.pap.georgia.gov.

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