Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles celebrates 80 years

The Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles (PAP) celebrated its 80th year of service on Wednesday.

The board was founded in 1943 and has spent decades working to provide informed clemency decisions to state prisoners.

According to Parole Board Chairman Terry Barnard, public safety has remained at the top of the board’s decision-making process.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

“This is a significant milestone for this public safety agency, an agency I’m proud to have been a part of for the past thirteen years, and an agency I know my fellow board members are extremely proud to be a part of,” Barnard said in a statement.

The celebration theme Wednesday was “Enhancing Public Safety through Informed Clemency Decisions, 1943-2023.”

The board itself was formed after Georgia lawmakers moved to act, citing “serious questions raised about the handling of pardons by some Governors’ offices,” according to the department.

TRENDING STORIES:

• Sulfuric acid spill shuts down all lanes of I-285 in Atlanta, sends 2 to hospital

• Triple-truck traffic crash lands man in hospital after collision with fire engine in Spalding County

• Gwinnett couple says they spent $20K with contractor, all they got was an incomplete deck, debris

Explaining further, PAP said that public concern led the General Assembly to enact legislation, which created the State Board of Pardons and Paroles as an independent agency to administer executive clemency. The law was signed in February 1943 by Gov. Eugene Talmadge.

“Voters ratified a constitutional amendment 80 years ago this year following legislative action creating the Georgia Parole Board. Over eight decades, the people who have worked for this agency have dedicated themselves to public service and public safety. This recognition is important,” Executive Director of the State Board of Pardons and Paroles Chris Barnett said, calling its years of service an “important milestone.”

Through legislative action, the creation of the Georgia Parole Board codified how to grant parole to prisoners, and according to former Parole Board member Tim Jones, “revolutionized the decision-making process in the state of Georgia.”

Now, the board utilizes what it calls a scientific, informed, decision-making process on behalf of Georgia’s executive branch.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

IN OTHER NEWS: