Data You Give Us Directly
Search Queries
A name or place entered in a search tool is sent directly to the outside provider operating that tool. The provider processes the query and supplies its results. Jefferson County Criminal History does not keep or record those search terms on its own systems.
Messages and Contact Submissions
When you email us, we retain the message long enough to respond and manage the communication. We do not disclose it outside our organization unless disclosure is required by a valid legal obligation.
Data We Gather Automatically
When a page loads, the servers may receive routine technical and usage details about the visit, including:
- Your device's assigned IP address
- The browser name and version
- The operating system and type of device
- Pages viewed and the time spent on them
- The referring website, when one is available
- The date and time of each page request
Cookies and Analytics
Cookies are small files saved on a device. They help show how visitors move through the site, which pages receive traffic, and where visits end. Analytics providers may combine this information into overall usage reports. You can block cookies through browser settings, although doing so may change how some features work.
What We Do With This Data
Collected visitor data may be used for the following operational purposes:
- Operating the site and improving page speed
- Routing a search request to the correct partner
- Learning which content is useful or needs revision
- Finding and correcting technical problems
- Displaying advertising that may reflect visitor interests
No Criminal-Record Data on File
Jefferson County Criminal History does not build, maintain, or sell a database of personal criminal records. It publishes general information about records held by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, the Iowa District Court clerk, the Iowa Department of Public Safety Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Iowa Sex Offender Registry. Iowa's government custodians handle public access under the Iowa Open Records Law, Iowa Code chapter 22, while Iowa Code chapter 692 governs state criminal-history data and dissemination. Visitor information collected here is not assembled into a consumer report or a record about another person.
Third-Party Search Partners
Outside companies power the search boxes. Information submitted through those tools is handled under the provider's privacy policy rather than this policy. Each provider controls its own retention, processing, and disclosure practices. Review those terms before sending a query.
Links to Other Websites
Links may lead to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, Iowa court portals, state agencies, legal-aid resources, or outside search services. Once you leave this site, the destination's privacy policy applies. Read that policy before providing personal information.
Advertising providers may also use their systems to recognize activity across multiple websites and select targeted advertisements. Jefferson County Criminal History does not control that outside tracking.
Who Might See Your Data
Personal data is not sold. It may be disclosed in limited circumstances to:
- Search providers that process a query you submit
- Analytics vendors measuring site use and performance
- Advertising networks serving ads on these pages
- Government agencies or law enforcement responding to a valid legal order
How We Protect Your Data
Reasonable, standard security practices are used to protect collected information. No internet-connected system can be guaranteed secure. We work to reduce risk but cannot promise that a breach or unauthorized access will never occur.
Users Under 18
This site is intended for adults and does not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under age 18. If we learn that a minor supplied such data, we will remove it promptly.
Your Data Rights
Iowa Code chapters 22 and 692 govern access to government records and criminal-history dissemination; they do not turn this private site into a government record custodian. Depending on the law that applies where you live, you may have additional privacy rights. At a minimum, you may ask us to:
- Provide a copy of personal data held about you
- Correct personal information that is inaccurate
- Delete personal data in our possession
- Stop certain forms of data processing
Updates to This Policy
This privacy policy may be revised as practices or legal duties change. A revised version will be posted here with an updated effective date. Review this page periodically for the current terms.
Effective date: July 23, 2026