Sometimes, all it takes is a little challenge to employees to find a better way of doing things.

McLean County Administrator John Zeunik issued such a challenge about seven years ago, and now the solution is getting national attention -- even though it isn't complete.

After hearing endless budget requests for more staff and more computers because of increasing caseloads in the criminal justice system, Zeunik challenged several county department heads affiliated with the justice system to come up with a united solution that might eventually level off costs, if not decrease them, and make the system more efficient.

The result is what is referred to as an "integrated justice system," a fancy name for a computer system that was originally aimed to tie together police, the courts, the circuit clerk's office and judges. But the system will be expanded even more at a cost that could eventually total about $5.7 million.

The system is tying together logical computerized steps -- from arrest reports and criminal mug shots through court proceedings. But instead of each department doing its own thing -- many times duplicative efforts -- the computerized system will depend on an original report with needed addendums and historical information along the way.

The justice systems traditionally rely on police filling out criminal reports, snapping mugshots of suspects and then taking the reports to the state's attorney's office. From there, the prosecutor's office uses that information to produce complaints that are filed in the circuit clerk's office. After more paperwork there, individual files are created for the judges to use. Even then, judges seldom have a complete criminal background of a defendant at their immediate disposal.

Outside the courts in a community such as Bloomington-Normal, where Twin City and McLean County police need to work closely, their sharing of information has depended a great deal on hand-delivered materials.

So this new system begins at the point of origin -- police reports.

When McLean County wraps up Phase 3 of a four-phase project, whose implementation began in 1997, prosecutors will be able to read police reports and file charges online. The circuit clerk's office will be able to issue warrants online, complete with a picture of the defendant if one is available. Judges will have online access to complete criminal records. And police can share at the tap of computer keys.

That's a rather simplistic explanation for a system designed for integration and sharing of information among police and the justice system.

The third phase of the system won't be fully operational until later this year. Next year, officials hope to begin the final phase, which will incorporate management of civil cases on an even par with criminal cases.

The implementation has not been without its flaws, which is typical with pioneer projects. The only other known integrated system in the U.S. is one being installed in Oklahoma City.

Circuit Clerk Sandra Parker adequately described the process when she said all of the various county managers and their support people; a representative from the County Board; and loaned/retired executives from State Farm who helped coordinate their efforts, had to check their egos at the door and agree that no one person could be responsible for stopping development of a system.

They not only came up with a unique model that is being looked at by various justice systems in the U.S., but the years of nitty-gritty discussions on the step-by-step procedures each department needed to incorporate into a smooth-flowing operation had to be beneficial for future cooperative efforts.

All of the people involved in this $4.5 million project should be applauded for their cooperative efforts as well as providing expertise from their given areas to develop a national model.

Zeunik, in particular, deserves praise for recognizing a problem and having faith in the people around him to come up with a solution. And when it came to committing nearly $5 million -- with more to come -- the County Board has shown its faith in county managers.