Lake County prosecutors launch new public data website

The Lake County state's attorney's office unveiled a new public data website this week, fulfilling a campaign pledge by State's Attorney Eric Rinehart to increase transparency.

The website, available at data.lcsao.org, includes data on criminal case filings, arrest and charging information, jail admissions and employee demographics of the office.

"This dashboard is a critical part of that data infrastructure as well as our dedication to be a transparent, accountable, and fair prosecutor's office," Rinehart said. "We are committed to building and using the data infrastructure needed now, and in the decades to come, to make sure we do our jobs to the best of our ability."

Rinehart said the dashboard will allow for a better understanding of the criminal justice system and expose possible inequities and inefficiencies.

The data indicates Lake County is experiencing a similar drop in criminal activity as the rest of the country. According to the dashboard, 1,315 misdemeanor cases and 984 felony cases were filed in the second quarter of 2016; 645 misdemeanor cases and 486 felony cases were filed in the second quarter of 2021, a drop of 50.8%.

The website does not contain data from juvenile cases. The site was created with support from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and Loyola University Chicago's Center for Criminal Justice Research, Policy and Practice.

According to the state's attorney's office, the Milwaukee County district attorney's public dashboard and the Lake County sheriff's public dashboard served as inspirations.