Data You Give Us Directly
Search Queries
A name or place entered in a search box is sent directly to the outside company operating that tool. The provider processes the query and supplies its results. Lake County Criminal History does not retain or record those search terms on its own systems.
Messages and Contact Submissions
An email message may be retained for the purpose of responding. It is kept within the operating team and is not disclosed beyond the organization unless disclosure is legally required.
Data We Gather Automatically
Loading a page can cause the servers to receive routine technical information about the visit:
- Page-view dates and times
- The referring website, when one is available
- Browser name and version
- Operating system and device category
- Visited pages and the time spent on them
- The device's assigned IP address
Cookies and Analytics
Cookies are small files placed on a device. They help measure site use, including which pages receive traffic and where visits end. Analytics providers combine this activity into traffic reports. A visitor can block cookies through browser controls, although doing so may change how some site features work.
What We Do With This Data
- Diagnosing errors and correcting technical problems
- Maintaining site availability, speed, and operation
- Displaying advertising that may reflect visitor interests
- Routing a submitted query to the appropriate search provider
- Measuring which pages are useful and which may need improvement
No Criminal-Record Data on File
Lake County Criminal History does not build, keep, or sell a database containing personal criminal records. Its general reference material identifies the custodians and request routes for records held by the Sheriff's records unit, Lake County criminal courts, Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification, and Illinois State Police Sex Offender Registry. Public-agency disclosure is governed by the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140, while statewide conviction-information access is addressed by the Uniform Conviction Information Act, 20 ILCS 2635. This website is not a consumer reporting agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Visitor information is not compiled into consumer reports or dossiers about other people.
Third-Party Search Partners
Outside businesses provide the search boxes that appear on the site. Information submitted to one of those tools is governed by that provider's privacy policy rather than this policy. Each partner determines its own retention and disclosure practices, which Lake County Criminal History does not control. Review those terms before running a query.
Links to Other Websites
Links may lead to Sheriff's pages, judicial portals, Illinois agencies, legal-aid resources, or outside search services. Once a visitor follows an external link, the destination's privacy rules apply. Those rules should be reviewed before personal information is provided.
Some advertising companies may use activity across multiple websites to select ads. Such tracking occurs through the advertiser's systems, not systems controlled by Lake County Criminal History.
Who Might See Your Data
Personal information is not sold. Limited information may be available to:
- Advertising networks that serve material on site pages
- Government or law-enforcement bodies acting under a valid legal demand
- Analytics providers measuring site traffic and performance
- Search companies processing a query submitted through their tool
How We Protect Your Data
Generally accepted safeguards are used for collected information. No internet-connected system can be guaranteed completely secure, however. Reasonable protective measures are applied, but a security incident cannot be ruled out.
Users Under 18
The website is intended for adults and does not knowingly collect personal information from anyone younger than 18. If information from a minor is identified, it will be removed.
Your Data Rights
Depending on the circumstances and a visitor's residence, additional rights may arise under Illinois consumer law, including the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act, 815 ILCS 505. A person may be entitled to request:
- Correction of inaccurate personal information
- A copy of personal information held about that person
- Exclusion from certain forms of processing
- Deletion of applicable personal data
Updates to This Policy
This policy may be revised. Any replacement will be posted here and will state its new effective date. Visitors should review the page periodically for current information-handling practices.
Effective date: July 20, 2026