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State, county and local justice information systems to become one
Gov. Rod Blagojevich announced last month a progressive plan to arm the Illinois criminal justice system with the means to electronically share information among state, county and local justice information systems throughout Illinois.
Blagojevich also signed an Executive Order that appointed a 23-member board to implement the plan.
The plan, which was put together by hundreds of criminal justice professionals, could serve to be a model for the nation.
"This has been ongoing since 9/11," said Chief R.T. Finney of the Carbondale Police Department. "This plan stems from concerns over domestic security. While most threats are found externally, it is important to remember that these things can still happen in your own backyard.
"It has been coming for quite some time," Finney said. "All agencies, both federal and local, need to coordinate their efforts."
Information being shared throughout the criminal justice system would improve decision-making and the quality of justice, as well as enhance public safety and security. Privacy and confidentiality of the information being shared would also be ensured as long as proper safeguards are used.
"This is just another layer of security for the public," Finney said. "It lets them know that their local officers know what's going on on the national level."
The SIUC Police Department, the Carbondale Police Department and the Jackson County Sheriff's Department have a computer dispatch system that enables each office to know what the other two offices are doing. Lt. Todd Sigler of the SIUC Police Department said that this plan is an expansion of what the Southern Illinois area already has.
"In theory and principle, I think that this is a good project to pursue," Sigler said. "We are going to do what we can to participate and uphold our end of things."
This program is going to make many current and future policies clearer to the public.
"In general, anytime there is an exchange of information it benefits all parties involved," Sigler said. "If the public is informed, then they will be able to make wiser decisions."
The automated victim notification system, which allows victims to get updates on cases and the date that their attacker will be released, is already in place, but Sigler thinks that this new plan will make things more free-flowing.
The first two years of this plan will be paid for by federal grant funds that were put aside for the integration by the Illinois Criminal Justice Information System. What will happen after the first two years is still up in the air.
Finney thinks that the plan will continue to be used after its first two years because it would be less cost effective to discontinue the plan because it is already set up within the infrastructure.
However, Sigler is not so optimistic.
"It's hard to say what will happen in a few years," Sigler said. "With shrinking budgets, agencies have to think about their own resources and the unfunded costs like software, hardware and personnel that will be needed to keep this program up and running."
