Jackson County State’s Attorney Mike Wepsiec announced his bid for re-election Wednesday afternoon at th county courthouse saying if re-elected he would continue to actively prosecute violent criminals.

Wepsiec, a Democrat, moved into the state’s attorney seat in 1994 when he was appointed by the County Board to replace Chuck Grace. Jim Persels, a local attorney from Makanda, announced his bid for Jackson County States Attorney on the Republican ticket Tuesday.

If re-elected, Wepsiec said he will continue to try and making Jackson County State’s Attorney’s Office the best in the state.

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Wepsiec has been a prosecuting attorney for seven and a half years and said he has been the Jackson County State’s Attorney for over two years.

I know my way around a courtroom, Wepsiec said. I know how to present evidence and obtain convictions.

Wepsiec said small counties need a good prosecuting state’s attorney, who actually does trial work. He said Jackson County averages around 7000 cases a year.

On the other hand, Wepsiec said it is essential for the state’s attorney in larger countys, such as Cook, to be a figurehead. He said these state’s attorneys deal with policies and lets the assistant state’s attorneys do the trial work.

Wepsiec said large counties have a large number of assistant states attorneys.

Here we do not have that luxury, he said.

If re-elected, Wepsiec said he would continue taking an active role in the prosecution of violent criminals and reorganize the structure of the state’s ttorney office.

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Wepsiec said he has allocated specialty cases for the assistant attorneys to handle. He said he currently has one attorney in charge of county board matters and another in charge of family and domestic violence cases.

Wepsiec said he would also continue to work with various community groups to help them understand what the State’s Attorney Office does and how they can assist law enforcement in the prevention of crime.

Wepsiec received a degree in political science from SIU in 1978 and graduated from DePaul University College of Law in 1981.

Wepsiec has been and attorney for 14 years and has been a resident of Jackson County for 11 years.