Georgia Department of Community Supervision

Department of Community Supervision
Image: dcs.georgia.gov

Michael Kennedy McIntyre opened his practice, Michael Kennedy McIntyre & Associates in Atlanta, Georgia, over 30 years ago and specializes in post-conviction representation. McIntyre & Associates is available to assist individuals with issues that arise while on parole or probation in Georgia. For years in Georgia, parolees were supervised by the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles and probationers were supervised by the Georgia Department of Corrections. In 2015, based upon a review by the Georgia Council of Criminal Justice Reform, a bill was introduced to the Georgia Assembly which would combine the supervision of parolees and probationers by creating one state agency that would be responsible for all offender supervision. That bill, HB 310, was signed into law in May 2015 by Governor Deal and thereby created the Department of Community Supervision (DCS). The DCS monitors both parolees and probationers has its headquarters in Atlanta and field offices throughout the state.

Georgia’s Parole Decision Guidelines

Mcintyre & Associates
Image: georgiapostconviction.com

Based in Atlanta, Georgia, law firm Michael Kennedy McIntyre & Associates focuses its practice on postconviction legal representation, including habeas corpus, appeals, and pardon and parole cases. Backed by the experience of a former Georgia Parole Board member, Michael Kennedy McIntyre & Associates offers the best counsel concerning parole matters and the state’s Parole Decision Guidelines. Established in 1979, the Georgia Parole Decision Guidelines aim to standardize confinement times. Recent revisions to the guidelines include integrating a data-driven risk instrument into the process. For the first time, the new guidelines align with the average duration of prison sentences imposed by the state. The revisions were adopted after the extensive study of several parole-related factors, including the risks associated with granting clemency, past practices, and the impact on prison capacity. Ultimately, the parole board determined the specific revisions served the best interest of the public and the criminal justice community.