The Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles is committed to continuously improving its processes to enhance effectiveness, efficiency, and public safety. Central to that commitment is ensuring that Board Members have the most complete and accurate information available when making executive clemency and parole decisions.

Board Members review comprehensive case files that include court documentation, detailed investigations conducted by trained parole investigators, interviews with incarcerated individuals, and reports from various law enforcement agencies. While these files are thorough, the Board remains focused on identifying new and innovative ways to strengthen the quality and depth of information available during the decision-making process.

In partnership with the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles is launching an enhanced fact-finding initiative that directly engages local police departments across the state. As frontline public safety professionals, local law enforcement officers often possess valuable insight that may not be fully reflected in formal reports.

Under this new initiative, soon after convicted persons are transferred to the Georgia Department of Corrections, police departments will receive an electronic request for information. In some cases, it may be decades before the individual is eligible for parole. As the charging agency in many cases, local departments may have critical context about the individual’s history, prior encounters, associates, family dynamics, or other community-based factors that could assist the Board in assessing risk and determining suitability for parole.

Responses will be submitted electronically and routed to the Board’s Regional Investigative Coordinators, who will ensure the information is incorporated into the official case file and shared with the assigned parole investigator for review and any necessary follow-up. This approach will ensure valuable information is included that could otherwise be lost over time. All information received becomes part of the Board’s confidential case record and remains protected from public disclosure.

The decisions made by the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles carry significant public safety implications. By strengthening collaboration with local police departments, the Board continues its commitment to making balanced, scientific, data-driven, and informed decisions that protect all Georgia communities.

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