Budget, Policy & Sentencing

Georgia\'s Parole System: Denial Rates, Life Sentences & Fiscal Impact

127 Data Points 43 Sources 44 Entities Research Date: Feb 28, 2026

This GPS research brief documents the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles' use of the denial reason 'insufficient amount of time served given the nature and circumstances of the offense' in life-sentence parole cases, evidenced through three federal court records (Slakman 2021, Moore 2023, Buttrum 2026) and press accounts. The Board's own published guidance states that lifers' parole suitability is 'dictated by the nature of their crime,' and the Buttrum plaintiff asserts the Board has no written standard for how much time is 'enough.' Board annual report data show lifer parole rates fell from 21.9% (FY2001-FY2006) to 5.8% (FY2022-FY2025), even as the Board decides roughly three times as many lifer cases annually. Adult due-process and equal-protection challenges have failed, while challenges to policy adoption procedures and retroactive rule changes have succeeded; an Eighth Amendment claim by a person sentenced at 17 is proceeding.

Where this research is used

This page is a research collection: individual facts drawn from the sources listed further down, each traced to where it came from. A research topic brings many collections together into one overview of an issue. The facts on this page feed these 6 topics; open one to see how they fit with the rest of the evidence.

Budget & Spending

Georgia's prison budget rose from $1.53 billion in fiscal 2024 to an all-time peak of $1.91 billion in fiscal 2025, then settled near $1.79 billion for fiscal 2027. Across that arc the money moved toward health contracts, private beds and surveillance technology while the state-operated prison program, food service and education shrank. GPS's own budget series has since corrected several of its earlier headline claims, and the gap between what the state appropriates and what it can show for it remains the central accountability problem.

11,375 data points

Legal Standards & Case Law

The rules that decide whether a Georgia prison condition is unconstitutional come from a short list of Supreme Court decisions, a 2024 Eleventh Circuit ruling that raised the bar above every other circuit, and a 1996 statute that limits what a federal court can order even after a violation is proven. This page traces that framework from Estelle v. Gamble and Farmer v. Brennan through Guthrie v. Evans, Brown v. Plata and Wade v. McDade, and sets it against Georgia's own record: a federal takeover that ran from 1972 to 1999, a 2024 Department of Justice finding of Eighth Amendment violations across the system, and a docket of prisoner cases that mostly ends in summary judgment.

6,787 data points

Oversight & Accountability

Georgia operates one of the largest prison systems in the United States with no independent body empowered to inspect it, investigate it, or publish what it finds. Every accountability mechanism that exists — the Office of Professional Standards, the internal grievance process, the PREA audit cycle, the state's own ombudsman line — sits inside the Georgia Department of Corrections and answers to its Commissioner. This page documents that vacuum, the federal and judicial oversight that has episodically filled it, the data systems that keep its failures invisible, and the reform models that 19 to 20 other states and the District of Columbia have already adopted.

5,913 data points

Parole & Sentencing

Parole in Georgia is a discretionary act of executive clemency, and the record shows that discretion narrowing to the point of near-refusal: parole releases fell from 16,772 in fiscal 1991 to 5,588 in fiscal 2025, the overall grant rate dropped from 38 percent in 2019 to 28 percent in 2024, and the life-sentence grant rate sits between 4.5 and 5.4 percent. Over the same decades the average time served before release on a life sentence rose from under nine years in 1973 to 29.6 years in fiscal 2025. The Board's own reports also leave contradictions unresolved — year-shifted tables, a fluctuating time-served series, and a life-decision volume that tripled while grants fell.

11,852 data points

Policy & Advocacy

Georgia's policy and advocacy landscape is defined by a paradox: a decade of bipartisan sentencing reform that measurably reduced incarceration and racial disparity, followed by a sharp reversal toward prison construction, surveillance technology, and record spending attached to no independent oversight. Legislative victories on wrongful conviction compensation, survivor justice, and out-of-time appeals sit alongside bills that died in the last minutes of session — an independent prison ombudsman, restrictive housing limits, parole transparency — and a post-conviction system the Chief Justice of Georgia calls 'a mess' that only the legislature can fix. The 2026 statewide elections and an unresolved federal investigation are the two live pressure points advocates are organizing around.

7,412 data points

Recidivism & Reentry

Georgia reports one of the lowest recidivism rates in the nation — a 25 to 27 percent three-year felony reconviction rate — but that figure counts only new felony convictions, only within three years, and only among people who survive the window. Georgia's own reconviction rate has climbed every year since 2019, reaching 30.7 percent for the 2022 release cohort even as the state spends more than a billion dollars a year on corrections, releases 12,000 to 16,000 people annually with almost no preparation, and funds vocational education at $172,000 statewide. The evidence on what works is unusually clear — education, vocational training, cognitive-behavioral programming, and transitional beds all correlate with substantially lower recidivism — and Georgia has systematized almost none of it at scale.

12,548 data points

5,443 FY24 parole releases from Georgia prisons 72% FY24 parole successful completion rate: 72% 19,328 Total parole eligible cases considered by Board i… 69,375 Total Board clemency votes in FY24 $343M FY24 cost avoidance from parole: $343 million $68.51 Daily incarceration cost per inmate in Georgia (G…

Key Findings

The most impactful data from this research collection. Tap a card for the full finding, GPS commentary on why it matters, and its source.

All Data Points

127 verified data points extracted from primary sources.

FY24 parole releases from Georgia prisons Statistic

In FY24, the Parole Board released 5,443 offenders from prison, representing 420 fewer parole board-initiated releases from the previous fiscal year.

5,443 offenders released vs. 5,863 FY23 parole releases

parole reentry

Slakman order quotes Board denial wording as fact Legal fact

The N.D. Ga. order of June 22, 2021 (Doc. 26, p. 2) in Slakman v. State Board of Pardons and Paroles quotes the Board's August 4, 2020 notice as stating: 'The main reason cited by the Board, after a review of the totality of your case, is insufficient amount of time served to date given the nature and circumstances of your offenses(s).' (sic). The plaintiff was serving life.

parole legal policy

FY24 parole successful completion rate: 72% Statistic

Georgia's percentage of parolees successfully completing parole in FY24 was 72%. The national average was estimated to be approximately 60%.

72% vs. 60 National average parole completion rate

parole reentry

Slakman dismissed and affirmed by Eleventh Circuit Legal fact

Slakman's case was dismissed and the dismissal affirmed by the Eleventh Circuit, No. 21-12226 (Nov. 2, 2021, unpublished).

parole legal

Total parole eligible cases considered by Board in FY24 Statistic

The total number of parole eligible offender cases considered by the Board Members during the fiscal year was 19,328.

19,328 cases

parole policy

Moore R&R recounts plaintiff's account of denial reason Legal fact

The Report and Recommendation (Doc. 2, March 22, 2023, p. 2) in Moore v. Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles records: 'According to plaintiff, the Board most recently denied him parole because he had served an insufficient amount of time to date given the nature and circumstances of [his] offenses.' Moore had been considered six times between May 1994 and March 2021 and was serving life with the possibility of parole.

parole legal

Total Board clemency votes in FY24 Statistic

In FY24, the five Board Members made a total of 69,375 votes. The total represents all Board decisions requiring a vote and multiple votes or decisions for each offender case during the fiscal year.

69,375 votes

parole policy

Moore: 2023 dismissal vacated by the Eleventh Circuit; case in discovery Legal fact

The district court dismissed Moore v. Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles at screening on June 29, 2023. The Eleventh Circuit vacated and remanded on April 24, 2024 (No. 23-12468, unpublished, 2 to 1, Brasher, J., dissenting), holding that Moore, sentenced as a juvenile, plausibly claimed that Graham v. Florida entitles him to "some meaningful opportunity to obtain release based on demonstrated maturity and rehabilitation" and that additional parole process may be due. The district court appointed counsel, and the case is in discovery under a scheduling order entered August 28, 2026.

parole legal

FY24 cost avoidance from parole: $343 million Statistic

The annual estimated cost avoidance to the state, due to offenders being under parole supervision as opposed to housing them in a state prison, was more than 343 million dollars for FY24. Calculated based on FY24 cost per day to incarcerate ($68.51) compared to community supervision cost per day ($2.89).

$343M vs. 319 FY23 cost avoidance (million dollars)

budget parole

Buttrum order recounts plaintiff's account of form denial letters Legal fact

The March 16, 2026 order (Doc. 39, p. 19) in Buttrum v. Herring (now Buttrum v. Holmes) recounts the plaintiff's account of the Board's 'form denial letters': 'The main reason cited by the Board, after a review of the totality of your case, is insufficient amount of time served to date given the nature and circumstances of your offense(s).' The plaintiff had five denials since 2017 and was 17 at the time of the offense.

parole legal mental_health

Daily incarceration cost per inmate in Georgia (GDC figure) Statistic

The most recent Georgia Department of Corrections cost per day to incarcerate a state inmate was $68.51.

$68.51 vs. 2.9 Parole supervision cost per day

budget

Buttrum Eighth Amendment claim proceeding; discovery through January 14, 2027 Legal fact

Buttrum's Eighth Amendment claim is proceeding, with discovery through January 14, 2027. Her due-process claim was dismissed under the Eleventh Circuit's 2025 ruling in Howard v. Coonrod and may be revived if that ruling changes on rehearing.

parole legal

FY24 parole population decreased from 16,369 to 15,105 Statistic

During Fiscal Year 2024, the population of offenders on parole under community supervision decreased from 16,369 on July 1, 2023, to 15,105 on June 30, 2024. The cumulative number of offenders under parole supervision during the fiscal year was 22,406.

15,105 parolees vs. 16,369 Parole population July 1, 2023

parole demographics

CourtListener full-text search found no other filing with denial wording Methodology note

A full-text search of Georgia federal court filings on CourtListener found no other filing with the denial wording. The search reaches only filings someone has uploaded, so it cannot be read as a count of how often the Board uses the reason.

parole legal data_gap

FY24 parole discharges: 4,930 Statistic

The number of offenders discharged from parole was 4,930 in FY24.

4,930 discharges

parole reentry

2001 Board guidelines: lifer suitability dictated by nature of crime Policy

The Board's 2001 guidelines page states: 'Board members do not apply Parole Decision Guidelines to life-sentence offenders, whose suitability for parole is dictated by the nature of their crime.'

parole policy

FY24 parole revocations: 1,437 Statistic

During FY24, the Board revoked 1,437 parole violators returning the offenders to prison to serve their sentences in confinement. The number revoked decreased by 115 from the previous fiscal year. Of the FY24 total number of revocations, less than 1% were revoked based on technical violations.

1,437 revocations vs. 1,552 FY23 revocations

parole policy

2001 Board guidelines: offense severity may preclude release despite conduct Policy

The Board's 2001 guidelines page states: 'The offense severity may preclude any eventual release despite stellar prison conduct, remarkable family support, or other factors.'

parole policy

FY24 Board warrants issued: 3,747 Statistic

In FY24, a total of 3,747 warrants were issued by the Parole Board for arrest of alleged parole violators.

3,747 warrants

parole operations

Current Board policy: lifer reconsideration up to eight years Policy

The Board's current Life Sentences page states: 'It is the policy of the Board that all life-sentenced offenders denied parole may be set for reconsideration up to a maximum of eight years from the date of last denial.'

parole policy

FY24 GCIC/NCIC warrant entries: 2,100 Statistic

In FY24, the GCIC Unit entered 2,100 warrants into the GCIC/NCIC system.

2,100 warrant entries

operations parole

Board rule requires informing inmates of denial reasons Legal fact

Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 475-3-.05(2) provides: 'The Board will inform inmates denied parole of the reasons for such denial without disclosing confidential sources of information or possible discouraging diagnostic opinions.'

parole legal policy

FY24 final revocation hearings conducted: 272 Statistic

Parole Board Members conducted 272 final revocation hearings during FY24. Each hearing is presided over by an individual Board Member who hears the evidence.

272 hearings

parole legal

Buttrum plaintiff: Board had no documents on how it decides enough time served Data gap

According to the Buttrum plaintiff, as recounted in the court's order (p. 18), the Board had no documents setting out how it decides whether a life-sentenced person has served enough time 'considering the nature and circumstances of the offense.'

parole legal data_gap

FY24 life sentence cases considered: 2,046; granted: 93 Statistic

Total life sentence cases considered for parole in FY24: 2,046. Life sentence cases granted/released: 93 (including 67 serious violent felony life sentence cases). Life sentence cases denied: 1,953.

93 life sentence grants vs. 2,046 Total life sentence cases considered

parole policy

O.C.G.A. § 42-9-53 makes Board records confidential state secrets Legal fact

O.C.G.A. § 42-9-53 makes the Board's records 'confidential state secrets until declassified by the board.' Hearings and their transcripts are exempt, as is information the law requires to go to the General Assembly, the Governor or the state auditor.

parole legal policy

FY24 lifer SVF cases granted: 67 of 2,046 Statistic

FY 2024 Parole Decisions for Parole Eligible Inmates Serving Life Sentences for a Serious Violent Felony: 67 granted/released out of 2,046 total lifers considered for parole.

67 grants vs. 2,046 Total lifer cases considered

parole policy

Lifer parole rate FY2022-FY2025: 5.8% Statistic

Across FY2022 to FY2025 the Board decided 8,461 lifer cases and paroled 488, a rate of 5.8%.

5.8%

parole demographics

Average time served for life sentence SVF parolees: 29.2 years in FY24 Statistic

In 1973, life-sentenced inmates convicted of serious violent felonies served less than nine years in prison, on average, before being released from prison. By 2000, the average had increased to more than 15 years. By 2010, the average time served was nearly 20 years and in FY 2024, the average time served was 29.2 years.

29.2 years vs. 9 Average time served in 1973

parole policy

Lifer parole rate FY2023: 4.9% Statistic

The lifer parole rate was 4.9% in FY2023 (110 paroled of 2,254 decided).

4.9%

parole demographics

FY24 guidelines decisions: 12,257 Statistic

Total guidelines decisions made by the Board in FY24: 12,257.

12,257 decisions

parole policy

Lifer parole rate FY2024: 4.5% Statistic

The lifer parole rate was 4.5% in FY2024 (93 paroled of 2,046 decided).

4.5%

parole demographics

FY24 cases initialized for consideration: 16,972 Statistic

In FY24, there were 16,972 offender files initiated for consideration by the Clemency Division.

16,972 cases initialized

parole operations

Lifer parole rate FY2025: 5.4% Statistic

The lifer parole rate was 5.4% in FY2025 (123 paroled of 2,277 decided).

5.4%

parole demographics

FY24 PIC points awarded: 29,962 Statistic

In FY24, the Parole Board members granted 29,962 PIC or PIC points to state inmates who had earned them by completing specific programming and work details. Each PIC point equals one month that a TPM can be changed to an earlier date.

29,962 PIC points vs. 26,855 FY23 PIC points awarded

parole policy reentry

Lifer parole rate FY2001-FY2006: 21.9% Statistic

In FY2001 to FY2006, the Board paroled 941 of 4,297 lifer cases, a rate of 21.9%. The Board now decides roughly three times as many lifer cases a year as it did then, and paroles fewer people.

21.9% vs. 5.8 FY2022-FY2025 rate

parole demographics trend

FY24 preconditions to parole imposed: 2,404 Statistic

There were 2,404 preconditions to parole imposed by the Board on inmates during the fiscal year.

2,404 preconditions imposed

parole policy

Trend: lifer parole rate declined sharply from FY2001-FY2006 to FY2022-FY2025 Trend

The Board's lifer parole rate fell from 21.9% (FY2001-FY2006) to 5.8% (FY2022-FY2025), while the number of lifer cases decided annually roughly tripled.

parole trend demographics

FY24 GPEDS notifications generated: 41,271 Statistic

For FY24, 41,271 notifications (all types) were generated by GPEDS to judges, prosecutors, law enforcement, wardens, inmates, and victims regarding clemency actions.

41,271 notifications

operations parole

Eleventh Circuit en banc: Georgia parole system creates no liberty interest Legal fact

The Eleventh Circuit, sitting en banc in Sultenfuss v. Snow, 35 F.3d 1494 (11th Cir. 1994), held that Georgia's parole system creates no liberty interest protected by due process because it 'contains a statutory presumption against parole and fails to limit meaningfully the discretion of state officials.'

parole legal

FY24 second solicitation notifications to judges and prosecutors: 2,324 Statistic

In FY24, 2,324 case notifications or second solicitations/notifications were sent to judges and prosecutors regarding offenders convicted of serious felonies.

2,324 notifications

parole operations legal

Equal protection parole claim requires proof of better treatment of similarly situated Legal fact

A parole denial can be challenged on equal-protection grounds, but the claim fails without proof that people in the same situation were treated better. Slakman lost on that point.

parole legal

FY24 90-day notifications for serious violent felonies: 208 Statistic

In FY24, the Board sent 90-day notifications in 208 cases for offenders convicted of serious violent felonies being considered for parole release.

208 notifications

parole legal policy

Griffin v. Nix: 90% Policy struck down for failure to follow APA Legal fact

In 2005 the Fulton County Superior Court held in Griffin v. Nix that the Board's '90% Policy' was 'ineffective and has no force and effect as to these Petitioners because it was not adopted pursuant to the Administrative Procedures Act,' and ordered the Board to reconsider them without it within 45 days.

parole legal policy

FY24 clemency investigations completed: 34,936 Statistic

In FY24, the clemency investigators completed 34,936 investigations for the Parole Board.

34,936 investigations

parole operations

Board FY2005 annual report: 90% policy discontinued Policy

The Board's FY2005 annual report states: 'A new agency rule was adopted by the Board that discontinued the 90% policy.'

parole policy

FY24 final reviews completed by CAU: 9,193 Statistic

During FY24, 9,193 final reviews were completed by the Critical Analysis Unit and hundreds of random audits were completed to verify the accuracy of case evaluations, risk level assessments and assigned crime severity levels.

9,193 final reviews

parole operations

Jackson v. State Board: injunction against retroactive 90% Policy Legal fact

In a federal case over the 90% Policy, the district court permanently enjoined the Board from applying it to the plaintiff and ordered him an initial parole hearing. That injunction is recounted in the Eleventh Circuit's later ruling on attorney's fees, Jackson v. State Board of Pardons and Paroles, 331 F.3d 790 (11th Cir. 2003).

parole legal

FY24 pardons and restorations granted: 446 Statistic

In FY24, 845 pardon and restoration of rights applications were received and 446 were granted (all types). There were 118 fewer applications granted during the fiscal year compared to the previous year.

446 grants vs. 564 FY23 pardons and restorations granted (estimated from 118 fewer)

parole legal reentry

Ex post facto test for parole rule changes (Morales; applied in Garner v. Jones) Legal fact

The U.S. Supreme Court's ex post facto test asks whether a retroactive change creates "a sufficient risk of increasing the measure of punishment attached to the covered crimes" (California Department of Corrections v. Morales, 514 U.S. 499, 509 (1995)). In Garner v. Jones, 529 U.S. 244 (2000), the Court applied that test to the Georgia Board's lengthened reconsideration interval for lifers, reversed an Eleventh Circuit ruling for the prisoner, and remanded for further fact-finding.

parole legal

FY24 pardon DA notifications: 617 Statistic

During FY24, the Parole Board sent 617 notifications to district attorneys regarding ex-offenders applying for pardons.

617 notifications

parole legal operations

Day v. Bernard: Court of Appeals lets a lifer file a gross-abuse-of-discretion complaint Legal fact

In Day v. Bernard, No. A20A1019 (Ga. Ct. App. Sept. 4, 2020), the Georgia Court of Appeals reversed a trial court's refusal to let a lifer file a complaint alleging that the Board grossly abused its discretion, and directed the clerk to file it. It did not decide the claim itself. The Board's stated reason for denying parole there was "the severe nature of the offenses."

parole legal

FY24 total agency budget: $20.44 million Statistic

FY 2024 total funds budget was $20,441,436.00 with total expenditures of $20,240,569.85. State funds comprised $20,050,228.34, federal funds $78,069.11, and other funds $112,272.40.

$20.4M

budget

GPB News 2022: family member describes Board denial wording Quote

GPB News (2022) reported a family member describing the Board as saying, 'Due to the nature of your crime, you haven't served enough time.'

parole

Agency total full-time employees: 179 Statistic

As of June 30, 2024, the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles had 179 total full-time employees. By gender: 148 female, 31 male. By race: 101 Black, 74 White, 2 Asian, 1 Hispanic, 1 Other.

179 employees

staffing

Filter: man in prison says denial cited nature of offense Quote

Filter reported a man in prison saying his last denial said 'due to the nature of your offense,' and that appeal answers can be that one sentence.

parole

57 parole investigators in Investigations Unit Statistic

Fifty-seven (57) investigators work in the Investigations Unit. Thirty-six (36) are assigned to the field, ten (10) work within prisons conducting personal history statements, and eleven (11) are P.O.S.T. certified criminal investigators conducting face-to-face interviews.

57 investigators

staffing operations

AJC: attorney describes Board letter citing nature of offense Quote

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's juvenile-lifer investigation reported an attorney describing a Board letter saying, 'due to the nature of your offense you're being denied parole.'

parole

FY24 GOVS phone calls handled: 13,189 Statistic

In FY24, 13,189 phone calls from or to victims were handled by Georgia Office of Victim Services staff.

13,189 phone calls

parole operations

Courthouse News Service on Buttrum: five denials citing not enough time served Case detail

Courthouse News Service, reporting on Buttrum, described five denials, each citing 'not enough time served.'

parole legal

FY24 GOVS outgoing correspondence: 29,665 Statistic

29,665 outgoing correspondences were sent to victims in FY24.

29,665 pieces of correspondence

parole operations

Howard v. Coonrod 2025 ruling dismissed Buttrum due-process claim Legal fact

Buttrum's due-process claim was dismissed under the Eleventh Circuit's 2025 ruling in Howard v. Coonrod, 134 F.4th 1136 (11th Cir. 2025), and may be revived if that ruling changes on rehearing.

parole legal

FY24 GOVS incoming correspondence: 9,320 Statistic

9,320 correspondences were received from victims and filed with the office in FY24.

9,320 pieces of correspondence

parole operations

FY24 new GA-V.I.P. registrants: 3,078 Statistic

For FY24, there were 3,078 new GA-V.I.P. registrants, and 4,480 phone calls from victims were logged into the system. The system made 2,097 calls to victims.

3,078 registrants

parole operations

19 Victim Impact Sessions conducted since program inception (April 2022) Statistic

Since April 2022, nineteen (19) Victim Impact Sessions have been conducted, and three hundred (300) victims have had the opportunity to meet with the Board. In FY24, nine (9) sessions were conducted.

19 sessions

parole operations

FY24 Victim Offender Dialogues initiated: 5 Statistic

In Fiscal Year 2024, five (5) Victim Offender Dialogue dialogues were initiated. Five (5) more dialogues are in the process of being completed in FY 2025.

5 dialogues

parole operations

FY24 ICE REPAT releases: 14 at estimated $2.53 million cost avoidance Statistic

Via the ICE Rapid REPAT Program, fourteen (14) foreign national offenders were released to ICE for deportation at an estimated cost avoidance of $2,530,348.

14 releases to ICE vs. 2,530,348 Estimated cost avoidance in dollars

parole budget operations

FY24 SB174 commutation cases considered: 761; commuted: 9 Statistic

During FY 2024, the Parole Board considered 761 cases for commutation under SB174 and commuted nine (9) cases that met the strict criteria of the Board.

9 commutations granted vs. 761 SB174 cases considered

parole legal policy

FY24 out-of-state supervision releases: 222 Statistic

During FY24, the Interstate Compact Unit released 222 offenders to out-of-state supervision.

222 offenders

parole operations

Georgia parolees under out-of-state supervision: 2,143 Statistic

As of June 30, 2024, there were 2,143 Georgia offenders under active parole supervision in Compact states and 1,349 other Compact state offenders on parole supervision in Georgia.

2,143 parolees out-of-state vs. 1,349 Other state parolees supervised in Georgia

parole operations

FY24 documents scanned: 38,110 Statistic

During FY24, 38,110 documents were scanned into the case management systems. There were 1,016 active lifer offender parole files scanned, and 10,109 archived files imaged. Approximately 127,459 archived files remain to be imaged.

38,110 documents scanned vs. 127,459 Archived files remaining to be imaged

operations

New Direction Recovery Program: 30 referrals, 19 graduates in FY24 Statistic

For FY24, thirty (30) parolees were referred to the New Direction Recovery Program at Treutlen Probation Detention Center. As of June 30, 2024, nineteen (19) parolees had graduated during the fiscal year.

30 referrals vs. 19 graduates

parole drugs reentry program

FY24 sworn staff training hours: 3,245 Statistic

In FY24, sworn staff completed 3,245 training hours and non-sworn staff completed 711 training hours. The Parole Training Office delivered 1,262 training hours.

3,245 training hours (sworn) vs. 711 Non-sworn training hours

staffing operations

Georgia inmate population approximately 50,000 Statistic

Today, with an inmate population at approximately 50,000, the Board still consists of five voting members. In 1973, when the Board was expanded to five members, the prison population was 9,000.

50,000 inmates (approximate) vs. 9,000 Prison population in 1973

demographics facilities

Parole Board established 1943 by constitutional amendment Legal fact

In August of 1943, Georgia voters ratified, by a ratio of four and a half to one, a landmark amendment to the State Constitution establishing the State Board of Pardons and Paroles as an independent agency authorized to grant paroles, pardons, reprieves, commute sentences, including death sentences, and remove disabilities imposed by law.

legal policy

Board is sole authority to commute death sentences in Georgia Legal fact

The Board is the only entity in Georgia with the constitutional authority to commute a death sentence. The Governor does not have this authority in Georgia.

legal policy death

Three of five Board votes required for parole grant or denial Legal fact

Eligible inmates are automatically considered for parole. Three of the five board members must agree on a decision.

policy parole

No parole hearings held in Georgia Policy

Parole hearings are not held. However, each offender entering the Georgia prison system is interviewed by parole staff.

policy parole

Life sentence denial reconsideration policy: at least every 8 years Policy

If parole is denied to an inmate serving life, the Board, by policy, will reconsider the case again at least once every eight years. The duration between considerations is a decision made by the Board.

policy parole

Life sentence parole eligibility: statutory changes over time Legal fact

If a 'seven deadly sins' offense was committed prior to 1995, the offender is eligible after seven years. Beginning in 1995, offenders became eligible after serving 14 years. If the crime is committed after June 30, 2006, the offender is eligible for parole after serving 30 years.

legal parole policy

Board updated guidelines effective July 1, 2023: gang activity and arson severity levels raised Policy

The Board changed the crime severity level for the offenses of criminal street gang activity (raised from level five to level eight) and arson 1 (changed from level five to level six). The Board also amended the weights of risk factors for male and female offenders and added a factor regarding females.

policy parole gangs

SB174 commutation provision for split sentence offenders Legal fact

Senate Bill 174, passed in 2017, included a provision requiring the Board to consider commuting the sentences of specific offenders serving a split sentence who have successfully completed twelve (12) consecutive months of parole supervision (O.C.G.A. § 42-8-21). Under provisions, offenders must have probation to serve following the prison portion of their sentence.

legal parole policy

FY24 pardon application fully automated Policy

Requirements to download, print, complete and then mail Georgia's pardon application are no longer necessary as the Georgia Parole Board's new electronic filing system became active in FY 2024. Applicants now complete an electronic application and E-file, starting January 2024.

policy operations

Parole release rate declined steadily: 9,455 (FY19) to 5,443 (FY24) Trend

Parole releases show a consistent decline over six years: FY19: 9,455, FY20: 10,429, FY21: 8,634, FY22: 6,245, FY23: 5,863, FY24: 5,443. This represents a 42% decline from FY19 to FY24.

parole trend

Parole revocations declined from 2,720 (FY19) to 1,437 (FY24) Trend

Parole revocations show a consistent decline: FY19: 2,720, FY20: 2,199, FY21: 2,373, FY22: 1,825, FY23: 1,552, FY24: 1,437.

parole trend

PIC points awarded declined from 39,374 (FY20) to 29,962 (FY24) Trend

Performance Incentive Credit points awarded: FY19: 37,012, FY20: 39,374, FY21: 36,257, FY22: 30,313, FY23: 26,855, FY24: 29,962.

parole policy trend

Average time served for SVF lifers increased from <9 years (1973) to 29.2 years (2024) Trend

Life sentence time served for serious violent felonies has increased dramatically: 1973: 15 years, 2010: ~20 years, 2024: 29.2 years. This represents more than a tripling of average time served over approximately 50 years.

parole policy trend

Chair David Herring quote on serving the Board Quote

"Thank you for this opportunity. I do not take this opportunity lightly. I appreciate the position that I am being given. I can promise you this, like I have always done, I will serve this board with hard work and integrity whether I am the chairman or not."

parole

Executive Director Barnett quote on stakeholders Quote

"Everyone is a stakeholder in the parole process."

parole

Joyette Holmes quote on appointment Quote

"I am grateful as well to the Governor for the appointment, grateful for him believing me to be a good addition to this board and to this team that does so much work across the state."

parole

Wayne Bennett quote on appointment Quote

"I am honored to serve at the request of Governor Kemp. These first few days have been a tremendous learning experience, and I've realized that the employees of this agency are truly dedicated to their roles and to doing their part for public safety."

parole

GPS analysis: parole release rate collapsed to 34.3% in 2024 Statistic

Historical parole release rates show decline: 1993: 69.9%, 2000: 49.4%, 2010: 58.1%, 2020: 42.3%, 2024: 34.3%, 2025: 37.5%.

34.3% vs. 69.9 1993 parole release rate

parole trend

GPS: 54.55% of Georgia prison releases in 2025 are max-outs Statistic

Of 13,724 total releases in 2025 calendar year: Max-out (full sentence): 7,486 (54.55%), Parole: 4,283 (31.21%), Deaths in custody: 301 (2.19%), Other: 1,654 (12.05%).

54.6% vs. 31.2 Percent released on parole

parole reentry

GPS: 37% of parolees released within 12 months of max release date Finding

Of 10,353 current parolees analyzed by GPS: 37% released within 12 months of max release date (~2,000/year), 23% released within 6 months of inevitable release. These 'near max-out' paroles suggest the Board is not meaningfully reducing incarceration time.

parole policy

GPS: Near max-out parole rates highest for minor offenses Finding

Near max-out rates by offense: Entering vehicle 73.3%, Possession cocaine 70.6%, Possession meth 67.4%, Theft by shoplifting 61.1%. Lowest: Meth trafficking 7.5%, Cocaine trafficking 9.5%, Armed robbery 17.6%.

parole policy drugs

GPS: Average time served increased 158% since 1993 Statistic

Average time served increased 158% since 1993 (1.9 years to 4.2 years).

158%

parole trend

GPS: Life sentence parolees average age 63.9 years Statistic

1,540 lifers currently on parole. Average age: 63.9 years. 98.9% born before 1980. Only 17 born in 1980s.

63.9 years average age

parole demographics

GPS: FY24 lifer approval rate only 4.5% Statistic

FY 2024 lifer approval rate: 4.5% (93 approved from 2,046 cases). This contrasts with the Board's framing of 93 grants as a significant number.

4.5%

parole policy

GPS: Daily incarceration cost $86.61 per person (GPS figure vs Board's $68.51) Statistic

GPS analysis uses a daily incarceration cost of $86.61/person (annual cost $31,612), which is higher than the Board's cited GDC figure of $68.51/day. This suggests the Board may be understating the true cost.

$86.61 vs. 68.5 Board-cited GDC cost per day

budget

GPS: Medical costs for inmates over 65 are 9x higher Statistic

Medical costs for inmates over 65: $8,500/year (9x higher than younger inmates). FY 2025 healthcare/pharmacy increase: $72 million.

$8,500

budget medical demographics

GPS: Additional cost of 18.5-year lifer increase ~$585,000 per person Statistic

The additional cost of the increased time served for lifers (from ~11 years to ~29.5 years, an 18.5-year increase) is estimated at approximately $585,000 per person.

$585,000

budget parole

GPS: Cumulative lifer system cost approaches $40 billion Statistic

Cumulative lifer system cost approaches $40 billion for approximately 10,000 lifers.

$40B

budget parole

GPS: ~$126 million annually lost from parole decline Statistic

Approximately $126 million annually is lost from the decline in parole releases (4,000 fewer releases compared to historical rates).

$126M

budget parole

GPS: Parole grant rate collapsed from 38% to 28% (FY19-FY24) Statistic

2019: 9,455 granted from 24,738 cases (38%). 2024: 5,443 granted from 19,328 cases (28%). This represents a 42% drop in releases over 5 years.

28% vs. 38 FY19 grant rate

parole trend

GPS: Average time served increased 27% (2014-2023) Trend

Average time served increased 27%: 3.94 years (2014) to 5.00 years (2023). For 10-15 year sentences: 45% jump from 4.67 years (2014) to 6.77 years (2023). COVID spike: 4.45 years (2019) to 5.55 years (2021), never returned to baseline.

parole trend policy

GPS: Total cost of increased length of stay ~$1.1 billion annually Statistic

The total cost of increased length of stay from the Board's increasingly restrictive parole decisions is estimated at approximately $1.1 billion annually.

$1.1B

budget parole

Georgia received $82 million in federal truth-in-sentencing grants Statistic

Georgia received $82 million in federal 'truth in sentencing' grants (1996-2001), which incentivized longer sentences and reduced parole.

$82M

budget legal parole

GPS: 301 deaths in custody among 2025 releases Statistic

Of 13,724 total releases in 2025: 301 (2.19%) were deaths in custody.

301 deaths

death conditions

GPS: Life sentence average time served 31.1 years before release in 2025 Statistic

Life sentence cases: average 31.1 years served before release in 2025.

31.1 years vs. 29.2 FY2024 average per Board report

parole policy

1995 Seven Deadly Sins law eliminated parole for 7 serious violent crimes Legal fact

1995: 'Seven Deadly Sins' law (SB 441) eliminated parole for 7 serious violent crimes.

legal parole policy

1997 Parole Board implemented 90% sentence requirement Legal fact

In 1997, the Parole Board implemented a 90% sentence requirement.

legal parole policy

2006 HB 1059 increased life sentence parole eligibility from 14 to 30 years Legal fact

2006: HB 1059 increased life sentence parole eligibility from 14 to 30 years for crimes committed after June 30, 2006.

legal parole policy

Board's 80-year anniversary celebrated December 2023 Case detail

The State Board of Pardons and Paroles celebrated 80 years at the State Capitol on December 6, 2023, with the theme 'Enhancing Public Safety through Informed Clemency Decisions, 1943-2023.' Former Board Members from five decades attended.

parole

FY24 medical reprieves: 10 Statistic

In FY24, the Board granted 10 medical reprieves from prison.

10 medical reprieves

parole medical

FY24 commutations: 0 Statistic

In FY24, the Board granted zero (0) commutations (excluding SB174 cases).

0 commutations

parole policy

FY24 parole certificates issued: 3,890 Statistic

In FY24, 3,890 parole certificates were issued.

3,890 certificates

parole

FY24 conditional transfers: 751 in-state, 120 out-of-state Statistic

FY24 clemency actions included 751 conditional transfers and 120 out-of-state conditional transfers.

751 conditional transfers vs. 120 out-of-state conditional transfers

parole transfers

FY24 supervised reprieves: 461 Statistic

In FY24, 461 supervised reprieves were granted.

461 supervised reprieves

parole

FY24 Clemency Division budget: $17.27 million (84.5% of total) Statistic

Clemency Decisions program had FY2024 budget of $17,266,713 with expenditures of $17,101,467.06, representing 84.5% of total agency budget.

$17.3M

budget

Personal services comprises 86.96% of agency expenditures Statistic

Personal services (salary/benefits) totaled $17,602,670.30, comprising 86.96% of all FY24 expenditures.

87.0%

budget staffing

GPS: FY 2025 healthcare/pharmacy increase $72 million Statistic

FY 2025 healthcare/pharmacy cost increase for GDC is $72 million.

$72M

budget medical

Checks and balances: Legislature sets range, judiciary sentences, Board manages prison beds Legal fact

Georgia's constitution provides for three branches of government: the legislative branch sets the minimum and maximum range of the prison sentence, the judicial branch sentences the offender within that range, and the State Board of Pardons and Paroles manages the finite resource of state prison beds by considering eligible offenders and making parole grants in the interest of public safety.

legal parole policy

Joyette Holmes served as special prosecutor in Ahmaud Arbery case Case detail

Georgia's Attorney General selected Joyette Holmes to serve as the special prosecutor for the Ahmaud Arbery case. She is the first African American and woman to serve as both Chief Magistrate Judge and District Attorney in Cobb County.

legal parole

Wayne Bennett is first former Georgia sheriff appointed to Parole Board Case detail

Wayne Bennett is the first former Georgia sheriff to be appointed to the Parole Board. He served as sheriff of Glynn County from 1992 to 2012.

parole

GPS finding: Board is functioning as shadow sentencer Finding

GPS analysis characterizes the Board's increasing length of stay decisions as 'shadow sentencing,' where the Parole Board effectively adds additional time to judicial sentences without formal proceedings. Average time served increased 27% from 2014 to 2023.

parole policy legal

Less than 1% of FY24 revocations were for technical violations Statistic

Of the FY24 total number of revocations (1,437), less than 1% were revoked based on technical violations which include but are not limited to drug use, curfew violations, or failure to pay fines and fees.

parole policy

Board revalidated Guidelines Rating System and Sex Offender Risk Assessment Tool in FY24 Policy

In FY 2024, in an effort to better serve public safety, the Board revalidated its Guidelines Rating System and Sex Offender Risk Assessment Tool and expanded the electronic notifications and solicitation processes.

policy parole

Sources

43 cited sources backing this research.

Primary Official report

1997 Parole Board 90% Sentence Requirement Policy

— Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles (Jan 1, 1997)

Primary Legislation

2015 State Law — Pardon Notification to Victims and Prosecutors

— Georgia General Assembly (Jan 1, 2015)

Primary Data portal

Bureau of Justice Statistics — Parole Completion Rates

— Bureau of Justice Statistics

Primary Legal document

Buttrum v. Herring, No. 1:25-cv-01116-AT (N.D. Ga. Mar. 16, 2026)

— U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia (Jan 1, 2026)

Secondary Journalism

Courthouse News Service, "Georgia parole board defends parole process for juvenile lifers"

— Courthouse News Service

Primary Legal document

Day v. Bernard, No. A20A1019 (Ga. Ct. App. 2020)

— Georgia Court of Appeals (Jan 1, 2020)

Secondary Official report

Federal Truth in Sentencing Grants to Georgia (1996-2001)

— U.S. Department of Justice

Secondary Journalism

Filter, "'In the Dark': the Wait for Another Unexplained Parole Denial"

— Filter

Primary Legal document

Fuller v. Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles, 851 F.2d 1307 (11th Cir. 1988)

— U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit (Jan 1, 1988)

Primary Legislation

Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 475-3-.05(2)

— Georgia Secretary of State

Primary Legal document

Garner v. Jones, 529 U.S. 244 (2000)

— Supreme Court of the United States (Jan 1, 2000)

Primary Legal document

Georgia Constitution — Provisions on Board of Pardons and Paroles

— Georgia Constitution

Primary Official report

Georgia Department of Corrections — Incarceration Cost Data

— Georgia Department of Corrections (Jan 1, 2024)

Primary Official report

Georgia Department of Corrections — Performance Incentive Credit (PIC) Program Data

— Georgia Department of Corrections (Jan 1, 2024)

Secondary Journalism

GPB News, "For families, Georgia parole is a painful waiting game" (Sept. 23, 2022)

— GPB News (Jan 1, 2022)

Secondary Gps original

GPS Analysis of Georgia Parole System (2025)

Georgia Prisoners' Speak — Georgia Prisoners' Speak (Jan 1, 2025)

Primary Legal document

Griffin v. Nix, Civil Action No. 2004-CV-92152 (Fulton Cnty. Super. Ct. Mar. 3, 2005)

— Fulton County Superior Court (Jan 1, 2005)

Primary Legislation

HB 1059 (2006) — Life Sentence Parole Eligibility Increase

— Georgia General Assembly (Jan 1, 2006)

Primary Legal document

Howard v. Coonrod, 134 F.4th 1136 (11th Cir. 2025)

— U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit (Jan 1, 2025)

Primary Official report

Interstate Commission for Adult Offender Supervision (ICAOS) — Membership and Rules

— Interstate Commission for Adult Offender Supervision (Jan 1, 2024)

Primary Legal document

Jackson v. State Board of Pardons and Paroles, 331 F.3d 790 (11th Cir. 2003)

— U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit (Jan 1, 2003)

Primary Official report

Life Sentences | State Board of Pardons and Paroles

— Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles

Primary Legal document

Moore v. Georgia Board of Pardons & Paroles, No. 23-12468 (11th Cir. Apr. 24, 2024) (unpublished)

— U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit (Apr 24, 2024)

Primary Legal document

Moore v. Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles, No. 1:23-cv-01109-AT-LTW (N.D. Ga.)

— U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia (Jan 1, 2023)

Primary Legislation

O.C.G.A. § 17-10-6.1 — Serious Violent Felony 90-Day Notification