Sources: Georgia Department of Corrections, the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Parole,
and the U.S. Census Bureau
Prisoners in the state of Georgia are released from prison by one of these three actions: their sentence expires, i.e. they served their time, they are placed on parole, or they are released due to the decision of a court order. The Georgia Board of Pardons and Parole is responsponsible for deciding whether or not a prisoner may be released to parole before the end of their sentence. In Georgia, most released ex-offenders (about 65%) are placed on parole as they reenter society. The Field Operations Division is the part of the The Georgia Board of Pardons and Parole that oversees ex offenders while they are on parole. Parole is defined by this department as “the process of prevention and deterrence of criminal behavior by assisting the offender through a structured transition from incarceration, to a law abiding, self-sufficient place in the community.”