Indianapolis – Georgia Parole Board Member Albert Murray and Deputy Executive Director Rita Rocker met with Indiana Parole Board Chair Gwen Horth today.

Horth extended the invitation to Murray and Rocker during their attendance of the American Correctional Association’s summer training conference in Indianapolis this week: to meet, explore, and observe the Indiana parole system in action.

Murray and Rocker attended parole hearings conducted earlier today by the Indiana Parole Board.

“The parole process in Indiana differs greatly from our process in Georgia,” stated Murray. “Still, having the opportunity to see how other boards across the nation work is beneficial. There are always opportunities to learn from other systems and bring that knowledge back to Georgia to ensure our parole board remains among the leading paroling authorities in the nation,” he added.

The Indiana Parole Board, much like the Georgia system consists of five (5) parole board members appointed by the Governor.  However, that is where the structural and authority similarities end. Indiana board members are appointed to serve four (4) year terms, while Georgia members serve seven (7) year terms. The Indiana board has parole release authority only over offenders who committed their crimes before October 1977. After October 1977, Indiana moved to a determinant sentencing structure with mandatory parole periods. The Indiana board also makes discretionary decisions regarding the reinstatement of parole for all post October 1977 offenders whose parole has been revoked. In death penalty cases, the Indiana board makes a clemency recommendation to the governor who may grant clemency.

In Georgia, the exercise of executive clemency is vested solely with the parole board by constitutional amendment, to include all release, revocation and death penalty clemency decisions.

“Although our differences in processes are great, we both have the same primary areas of concern when making decisions: ensuring public safety, protecting victims’ rights, and providing offenders with opportunities for positive change,” says Murray.

Indiana Parole Board Chair Horth agreed and says being able to interact with other parole professionals as her board did today, is beneficial.

“We all have the desire to provide for our communities, our state and for public safety. We have similar goals to include looking for methods for our offenders to make their incarceration purposeful so they can return to society as productive citizens,” Horth stated. “You learn so much when you have an opportunity like today,” she added.

Indiana has a current parole population of approximately 10,000 and a state inmate population of approximately 28,000. Georgia’s parole population is just over 25,000 with a prison population of approximately 54,000.

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

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