Georgia Department of Corrections
Brian Owens, Commissioner
Director of Public Affairs
Joan Heath
Contact: Office of Public Affairs (404) 656-9772
For Immediate Release
Operation Safe Halloween
Curfew and Intensified Supervision Planned for Sex Offenders on Probation
Atlanta - The Georgia Department of Corrections announced it will once again initiate "Operation Safe Halloween" on October 31st. In its fourth year, the initiative is intended to provide increased supervision and curfew restrictions on sex offenders on probation during this critical time of year. "Operation Safe Halloween" not only protects the public, but also ensures offenders are not in violation of proximity restrictions.
The most serious sex offenders will be instructed to report to their probation offices, where they will participate in victim impact instructional sessions. All other offenders have been given a strict curfew, most lasting from 6:00 p.m. Halloween night through 5:00 a.m. the following morning. These probationers will also be subject to field visits from the Department's Specialized Probation Officers to ensure adherence to the curfew policy.
"Our commitment to protecting the public year-round is taken very seriously," said Commissioner Brian Owens. "By increasing the monitoring of these probationers on Halloween, our officers further enhance that mission," added Owens.
The Department maintains 113 probation offices in 49 judicial circuits, covering all of Georgia's 159 counties. Within those offices, the Department supervises more than 6,000 sex offenders.
The Department of Corrections is the fourth largest prison system in the United States and is responsible for supervising nearly 60,000 state prisoners and over 160,000 probationers. It is the largest law enforcement agency in the state with approximately 14,000 employees.
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