Do juvenile records disappear at age 18?

There are some misunderstandings about juvenile records. Many people think they are like an adult criminal record, but they are much more.

The State of Louisana Office of Juvenile Justice explains a juvenile record contains social and criminal information about a minor. IN general, juvenile records are confidential, but the criminal portion of the record may not always be. It is also important to understand these records do not go away when you turn 18 years old.

Confidential

While records are confidential, they still exist and certain individuals or agencies may access them. The law determines when and how to release these records. In situations where having the records can be beneficial, the law allows their release, even if you are no longer a minor.

Future use

Your juvenile records do not go away, so it is possible a prosecutor could use them in the future against you as an adult. The law does maintain that the use of criminal records of a juvenile is only allowed for instances where you were 14 or older. So, anything in your record from before the age of 14 is not something a prosecutor can use against you.

Options

If you have concerns about your juvenile records causing you issues when you are an adult, you do have the option to expungement them. Expungement is permanent removal. You can petition for expungement as long as the record is a misdemeanor that did not result in adjudication. It also must have happened at least two years prior to your request. Other terms may apply, so if you wish to do this, you should check into the rules applicable to your specific situation.