Governor Ryan Signs Executive Order for Integrated Justice Information System

SPRINGFIELD -- Governor George H. Ryan today signed Executive Order No. 12, reaffirming his commitment to Illinois' Integrated Justice Information Systems.

Executive Order 12 establishes the Illinois Integrated Justice Information System Governing Board, which is charged with mapping a strategy and beginning the process for justice information system integration in Illinois. This governing board will include representatives of local, county, and state criminal justice agencies. Candice Kane, Executive Director of the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority will serve as chair of the board. The board will submit a report to the Governor and the General Assembly no later than December 21, 2002 .

"From the early days of this administration, we have worked to improve criminal justice information systems in Illinois," Governor Ryan said. "The tragic deaths caused by terrorist acts on September 11, 2001, have further heightened my resolve toward that goal. By sharing complete information throughout the entire justice system, we provide the critical tools needed to better protect our citizens."

By integrating the flow of information throughout Illinois' criminal justice system, critical data can be electronically shared in a timely, secure, and efficient manner. Access to such information improves decision-making, fairness, and the ultimate goal of increased public safety.

"The bottom line is that with this information our police officers can make better decisions on the street, our prosecutors will be able to build stronger cases, our judges will make more informed decisions, and Illinois will be an even safer place to live," Ryan said.

"By combining the talents of these Illinois' justice professionals, I am confident we will deliver effective solutions that guarantee the security of the citizens of Illinois."

A copy of Executive Order 12 is attached.

Whereas, the tragic deaths caused by terrorist acts on September 11, 2001, have heightened my resolve to strengthen law enforcement information and intelligence systems, and by sharing complete information throughout the entire justice system, we will give the justice community the tools it needs to better protect our citizens; and

Whereas, in January 2000, I proposed the program "ISP 2000" to focus 21st Century technology to fight crime, assess all the new technologies available and develop a plan of cooperation with local police agencies for the sharing of crime fighting technology; and

Whereas, the "Illinois Criminal Justice Information Act" created the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority "to coordinate the use of information in the criminal justice system; to promulgate effective criminal justice information policy; to encourage the improvement of criminal justice agency procedures and practices with respect to information; to provide new information technologies; to permit the evaluation of information practices and programs; to stimulate research and development of new methods and uses of criminal justice information for the improvement of the criminal justice system and the reduction of crime; and to protect the integrity of criminal history information, while protecting the citizen's right to privacy"; and

Whereas, the Illinois Department of State Police has the responsibility to maintain statewide criminal justice information systems and interfaces to other states and national criminal justice information systems that support the operational information needs of criminal justice agencies throughout Illinois including statewide and national communications networks, Law Enforcement Agencies Data System (LEADS), Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS), Criminal History Record Information (CHRI), National Crime Information Center (NCIC), and National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (NLETS); and

Whereas, criminal justice information systems in Illinois have been designed to meet local operational needs and not to provide statewide justice information and these systems operate today as autonomous and independent systems that do not easily share information with courts or other justice agencies in a timely manner and inevitably contain much information that duplicates that gathered by other justice systems; and

Whereas, justice information in Illinois is fragmented and inconsistent and frequently not available in a timely manner to law enforcement officers or the courts for the purpose of making criminal justice decisions; and

Whereas, judges, prosecutors and police often do not know if they have complete information when making bail and sentencing decisions, charging decisions and possible plea negotiations, and arrest decisions; and

Whereas, an integrated, statewide justice information network is necessary to ensure that all public, private and individual stakeholders in the justice process have the accurate, timely, and easily accessible information they require, when and where they need it, to better administer justice and enhance the safety and well being of the people of the State of Illinois; and

Whereas, a crucial step in embarking on the process of realizing integrated justice systems in Illinois is to create a body that includes major stakeholders, both at the local and state levels, to guide the development of effective integrated systems.

THEREFORE, I, George H. Ryan, Governor of Illinois, with the intent to create an approach to integrated justice systems in this state, order the following:

I.ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ILLINOIS INTEGRATED JUSTICE INFORMATION SYSTEM GOVERNING BOARD:

There shall be established the Illinois Integrated Justice Information System (IIJIS) Governing Board.

II.COMPOSITION OF THE ILLINOIS INTEGRATED JUSTICE INFORMATION SYSTEM GOVERNING BOARD

A.The Board shall include the directors or executive level designees of the following agencies: the Department of Central Management Services, the Illinois Department of Corrections, the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission, the Illinois State Police, the Office of the State Appellate Defender, and the Office of the State's Attorney's Appellate Prosecutor. The Board shall also include a representative from each of the following entities; the Illinois Attorney General, the Illinois Secretary of State, the Illinois Conference of Chief Judges, Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, the Illinois Sheriffs' Association, the Illinois State's Attorneys' Association, the Illinois Association of Court Clerks, the Illinois Probation and Court Services Association, the Chicago Police Department, the Cook County Circuit Clerk, and the Cook County Sheriff. Additionally, the board shall include representatives of the Deputy Governor of Criminal Justice and Public Safety and also the Illinois Technology Office.

Additionally, the Board shall actively and continuously seek the input, assistance and participation of other departments, agencies, boards and commissions, units of government, private organizations, and public interest groups as necessary or appropriate.

B.The Executive Director of the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority shall chair the IIJIS Governing Board. The Illinois State Police representative to the IIJIS Governing Board shall serve as the vice-chair.

C.The Chair shall have the authority to create ad hoc committees to assist in the completion of this order.

III.DUTIES OF ILLINOIS INTEGRATED JUSTICE INFORMATION SYSTEM GOVERNING BOARD

The duties of the IIJIS Governing Board shall include, but shall not necessarily be limited to the following:

A.Complete a needs assessment that will systematically identify all criminal justice systems in Illinois. All components of the Illinois justice process must be analyzed so their current and planned justice information system environment can be examined and documented.

B.Conduct a study to identify exchange points between agencies to determine where automation will enhance the integration process and automate those exchanges where participants are willing and ready for automation.

C.Develop a strategic plan for integration of Illinois justice and court information which includes, but shall not necessarily be limited to the following:

• Recommending cost-effective solutions that integrate existing criminal justice information systems, providing standards for future systems development, and reducing technological incompatibility, redundancy and inefficiency.

• Developing strategies to improve the positive identification of individuals who interact with the justice system through the use of enhanced biometric identification technologies such as flat fingerprints and facial recognition.

• Building upon the significant financial investments already made by individual agencies on criminal justice systems, avoiding unfunded mandates on individual agencies, and identifying federal grants and other sources of funding assistance to finance the integration and improvement of justice information systems in Illinois.

• Working in partnership with state and local Illinois criminal justice agencies and related social service agencies to meet their operational requirements and needs for justice-related integrated information processing while respecting their independence.

• Ensuring that the privacy and civil liberties of all citizens are enhanced rather than diminished by implementation of IIJIS.

D. Report to the Governor and the General Assembly no later than December 31, 2002, on its findings, recommendations, and strategic plan.

IV. EFFECTIVE DATE. THIS EXECUTIVE ORDER SHALL BE EFFECTIVE UPON FILING WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

GEORGE H. RYAN
Governor

December 6, 2001