Featured Member: State’s Attorney Joe Bruscato

Path to Becoming Prosecutor

Winnebago County State’s Attorney Joe Bruscato has worked as a prosecutor for much of 25 years, with a break of several years in private practice during that time. Since December 2008, he has served as the State’s Attorney and was recently re-elected.  The majority of his career has been in service to the citizens of Winnebago County.

His interest in public service began while he was an undergraduate at Marquette University of Law.  During college, he developed an appreciation for government and politics.  After becoming an attorney, he decided to seek positions in government, and the prosecutor’s office seemed like the best fit combining his interests and career goals.  He has enjoyed representing the people of Winnebago County.

Shaping the Future

The aspect that State’s Attorney Bruscato enjoys the most about his position is that he gets to shape the future of the community.  His decisions and role have a huge impact on the criminal justice system.  Although the job comes with a demanding schedule, he feels satisfied knowing that he is impacting his community in a positive way each day.  The challenges he faces seem small when he measures them against the benefits of shaping the future of his community.  Others in the community have recognized this commitment.  The Northwestern Illinois Building Trades Association named him “Person of the Year,” which honors a community member who shows a commitment to growth and economic development.  This year, he is serving as the president of the Illinois State’s Attorney Association.

Involvement with Fight Crime: Invest in Kids Illinois

State’s Attorney Bruscato became interested in Fight Crime: Invest in Kids Illinois because of a shared philosophy that reaching young people as early on in life as possible has an impact on their futures and adult involvement in crime.  If we make strategic investments in youth, it can make a difference and make it less likely that they will be involved in criminal behavior in the future.  He also liked programs like home visiting that guides parents to make them the most effective parents they can be.  He was encouraged that Fight Crime: Invest in Kids was a national organization, since he believes these programs can be universally applied both nationally and locally.

An almost lifetime resident of Winnebago County, State’s Attorney Bruscato enjoys spending his spare time with his children ages 13 and 16.  Even his commitment to his family was recognized by his community.  In 2010, the Ethnic Heritage Museum named him “Italian Father of the Year.”