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Sunday, June 8, 2025

Illinois Department of Corrections to release two inmates sentenced in St. Clair County during week ending June 25

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There are two inmates sentenced to jail in St. Clair County set to be released from the custody of the Illinois Department of Corrections during the week ending June 25.

The inmate being released who served the longest time was Michael J. Helms for predatory criminal sexual assault. Michael J. Helms spent more than 17 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.

Inmates being released who were sentenced in St. Clair County
NameOffenseSupervised Release DateHolding Facility
Tyron Howardattempted burglary2022-06-20Shawnee Correctional Center
Michael J. Helmspredatory criminal sexual assault2022-06-22Taylorville Correctional Center

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