Parolee Sanctioning Program Expanding in Georgia

Atlanta, Ga. - The State Board of Pardons and Paroles is expanding a pilot project that puts parolees to work doing community service as a sanction instead of revoking their parole and returning them to prison. The pilot program began in the communities of Milledgeville, Gainesville, Columbus and Dalton. The program is expanding throughout the summer to communities across Georgia and involves parolees who have committed low level violations of their supervision requirements.

The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) oversees the parolees who pick up trash and debris along the roadways and as the program is expanding, the parolees are helping out with mowing and trimming along Georgia’s roads.

Jay Lacienski, Director of Field Operations for the Board, says the program offers the Board another intermediate sanction it can use to correct the behavior of parolees who fail their supervision requirements.

“Parolees can be sent to jail for a period of time for failing a drug test for example, but this program allows us to possibly save that expense in some cases while helping out another state agency as well as helping improve the overall appearance of our state,” stated Lacienski. He says violations that could result in participation by a parolee may include a first failed drug test, and repeated curfew violations, for example. “It isn’t always necessary to revoke parole,” says Lacienski. “Intermediate sanctions are usually very successful and often result in supervision requirements being met and maintained,” he added. Milledgeville Chief Parole Officer Bubba Williams has worked in his local area with GDOT for several years, providing the service as an intermediate sanction. He has taken the lead for Parole in implementing the program in other parts of the state.

“It costs the Department millions of dollars every year to pick up litter along Georgia’s 20,000 miles of state and federal roads,” Georgia Department of Transportation State Maintenance Engineer Eric Pitts says. “And frankly, we don’t have enough funding or manpower to do the job as well as we would like. The parolees’ help is invaluable.” GDOT Press Secretary David Spear says the department can always use the assistance and with continued budget reductions is finding the work by the parolees invaluable. GDOT provides transportation from local offices to the work sites in the state and provides equipment and safety gear for the parolees.

State Department of Transportation Board Member Jay Shaw of Lakeland, Georgia, one of the program’s first and strongest advocates, says it is a perfect example of collaboration in which all benefit. “State probationers have been tremendously helpful to us in maintaining the safety and beauty of our roadsides.   I am glad to see the Parole Board now being able to offer a similar program as a sanction for parolees.” The program is operating in seventeen parole districts in Georgia and could be further expanded as necessary. 

For more information contact the State Board of Pardons and Paroles or go to www.pap.state.ga.us.

     

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