Legislation was proposed this week that would create a parole board for juvenile offenders.

Senate Bill 105 would establish a three-person panel to establish rules and guidelines for paroling felons.

Sen. Emanuel Jones, D-Decatur, the sponsor of the bill, explained that convicted juveniles do not have a parole system now, and that he hoped the state would create a rehabilitation program as an alternative to incarceration. Putting a juvenile in a detention center costs more than $200 a day, Jones said.

Georgia has the fourth-highest incarceration rate in the United States, costing taxpayers $1 billion a year. Gov. Nathan Deal has proposed cutting incarceration rates by creating drug courts and other alternatives to prison.

About the Author

Keep Reading

Fulton DA Fani Willis (center) with Nathan J. Wade (right), the special prosecutor she hired to manage the Trump case and had a romantic relationship with, at a news conference announcing charges against President-elect Donald Trump and others in Atlanta, Aug. 14, 2023. Georgia’s Supreme Court on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, upheld an appeals court's decision to disqualify Willis from the election interference case against Trump and his allies. (Kenny Holston/New York Times)

Credit: NYT

Featured

In this file photo from October 2024, Atlanta Braves outfielder Jorge Soler and teammates react after losing to the San Diego Padres 5-4 in San Diego. The Braves and Soler, who now plays for the Los Angeles Angels, face a lawsuit by a fan injured at a 2021 World Series game at Truist Park in Atlanta. (Jason Getz/AJC)

Credit: Jason.Getz@ajc.com