The inmate being released who served the longest time was James L. Watkins Jr. for second degree murder. James L. Watkins Jr. spent more than four years incarcerated.
According to The Institute for Illinois’ Fiscal Sustainability, Illinois spends about $37,000 a year per incarcerated person. In a study by Prison Policy Initiative, Illinois’ incarceration rate was at 564 per 100,000, higher than every industrialized country, except the United States. When compared with its surrounding states, Illinois was the lowest. Kentucky and Missouri have rates over 850 per 100,000.
One of the issues is how pretrial detainees are now handled. The Vera Institute of Justice noted that pretrial detainees made up 71% of the total jail population.
Most prison inmates are released on some condition of supervised monitoring upon reentering civilian life. This monitoring can last from one year to the rest of someone’s life.
| Name | Offense | Supervised Release Date | Holding Facility |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anton S. Williams Jr. | home invasion that caused an injury | 2023-05-07 | Sheridan Correctional Center |
| James L. Watkins Jr. | second degree murder | 2023-05-08 | Shawnee Correctional Center |
Alerts Sign-up