Data You Give Us Directly
Search Queries
A name or place entered in a search tool is sent to the outside company operating that tool. That provider processes the query and returns its result. We do not keep a separate log of those search terms.
Messages and Contact Submissions
Messages sent directly to us may be retained so we can respond. They remain within our operation unless disclosure is required by law.
Data We Gather Automatically
Every time a page on this site loads, our servers pick up some technical details about the visit:
- The IP address assigned to your device
- Which browser you are using and its version
- Your device type and operating system
- The pages you visited and how long you stayed on each
- The site that sent you here, if any
- Timestamps for each page view
Cookies and Analytics
We use cookies on this site. These are small files stored on your device that let us see how visitors use the site - which pages get the most traffic and where people tend to drop off. Analytics services help us aggregate that traffic data. Your browser settings let you block cookies whenever you want. Some parts of the site may behave differently if you do.
What We Do With This Data
- Keeping the site up, running, and loading quickly
- Sending your search requests to the right partner service
- Figuring out which pages people find useful and which need work
- Tracking down and fixing technical issues
- Showing ads that may line up with your interests
No Criminal-Record Data on File
This site does not maintain, compile, or sell databases of personal criminal-record information. We publish general guidance about where Mason County criminal records are held and how to request them from the sheriff's records unit, the courts that hear criminal cases, the Illinois State Police (ISP), Bureau of Identification repository, and the Illinois State Police Sex Offender Registry. We are not a consumer reporting agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and nothing we collect about visitors is assembled into consumer reports or records about third parties.
Third-Party Search Partners
Search boxes on this site are powered by outside companies. Anything you enter into those tools is processed under the partner's own privacy policy, not this one. Those partners set their own data-retention and sharing practices, and we do not control them. Review the partner's policy before submitting a search.
Links to Other Websites
Throughout the site we link to sheriff's office pages, court portals, state agency sites, legal aid groups, and third-party search tools. Clicking any of those links takes you off our site. At that point, their privacy policy governs your visit. Read it before sharing any personal details.
Certain advertising partners may track your activity across sites to show targeted ads. That tracking runs on their systems, not ours.
Who Might See Your Data
We do not sell personal data. Some information may end up with:
- Search partners that handle queries you run on our site
- Analytics services we use to track traffic and performance
- Ad networks that place ads on our pages
- Law enforcement or government bodies when a valid legal order requires it
How We Protect Your Data
We follow standard security practices to safeguard the data we collect. But nothing connected to the internet is bulletproof. We do what we can to keep your information secure, though we cannot promise a breach will never happen.
Users Under 18
This site is meant for adults. We do not knowingly gather personal information from anyone under 18. If you think a minor has shared data with us, reach out and we'll delete it right away.
Your Data Rights
Applicable Illinois law, including the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act, 815 ILCS 505, may provide additional rights. Illinois FOIA, 5 ILCS 140, governs records held by public bodies and does not turn this private site into a public agency. You may ask us to:
- Ask for a copy of what we have on file about you
- Have us fix information that is wrong
- Request that we erase your data
- Opt out of certain kinds of data processing
Updates to This Policy
We may revise this policy. A new version becomes available here with its effective date, so readers can review the current terms.
Effective date: July 20, 2026