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Georgia's Unique Approach to Serving Crime Victims Post-Conviction
SESSION INFO
Monday, January 27, 2025
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
Session Type: Workshop
In 2005, the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles and the Georgia Department of Corrections combined their offices of victim services to form the Corrections and Parole Board Office of Victim Services. On July 1, 2015, with the creation of the Department of Community Supervision, the office began serving victims for all three agencies and is now the Georgia Office of Victim Services (OVS). This office provides post-sentencing support to crime victims, their families, and members of the community. GOVS has over 30,000 active registered victims and registers approximately 3,000 new victims annually. This workshop will demonstrate how Georgia created a single point of contact for crime victims during the post-conviction phase of the criminal justice process.
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SESSION PRESENTERS
Keir Chapple
Director of Victim Services, GA Board of Pardons and Paroles
Keir Chapple is the Director of the Georgia Office of Victim Services. He earned a BS in Electrical Engineering Technology from Georgia Southern University in 2000 and an MBA from Keller Graduate School of Management in 2004. Keir began his career with the State Board of Pardons and Paroles as an Officer in 2005, rising to Assistant Chief in 2007. After volunteering during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, he developed a desire to work with crime victims and transferred to the Office of Victim Services in 2014 as a Program Manager. He managed the Victim Offender Dialogue Program, addressed unwanted offender communications, and assisted with restitution. Promoted to Deputy Director in 2015, Keir is a POST-certified Instructor, Crisis Intervention Team Officer & Trainer, and a credentialed victim advocate. He is a member of NAVAC, NOVA, APPA, GPACS, and NOBLE. Keir completed the National Facilitated Dialogue Training Program Pilot and is part of the National Training Cadre. He is certified in Crisis Response Training and critical incident stress management and has presented locally and nationally on victim issues.
Christopher L. Toussant
Program Manager, GA Board of Pardons and Paroles
Christopher Toussant brings extensive experience to his role as Program Manager, backed by a diverse background in victim advocacy and criminal justice. He began his advocacy work in January 2013 with the Clayton County District Attorney's Office. In 2017, he joined the State Board of Pardons and Paroles as a Victim Services Specialist, advancing to Senior Victim Services Specialist, Lead Program Coordinator, and eventually Program Manager. Christopher's academic credentials complement his practical expertise. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies with a minor in Criminal Justice in 2014, followed by a Master’s in Criminal Justice in 2018 and a Master’s in Public Administration in 2021. He is also a POST-Certified Instructor and an Advanced Comprehensive Victim Intervention Specialist certified by the National Association of Victim Advocacy. Additionally, Christopher serves as a Victim-Offender Dialogue Facilitator. Active in professional associations, Christopher is a member of the Georgia Professional Association of Community Supervision (GPACS), the American Probation and Parole Association (APPA), the National Organization for Victims Advocacy (NOVA), and the National Association of Victim Assistance in Corrections (NAVAC). He also contributes to the Alumni Advisory Board for Clayton State University, supporting the development of future leaders.
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