Juvenile and other courts, and law enforcement and other public agencies maintain a variety of records regarding juveniles who become involved in the juvenile justice system and the criminal justice system—including arrest records, school records, medical or behavioral health records, and family and social history. Many states have laws that restrict access to these records to protect youth from the stigma of a record in the juvenile justice system or criminal justice system. The confidentiality of juvenile records is in contrast with the open records laws that apply to adults in the criminal justice system. Laws regarding access to juvenile records, sealing of juvenile records, and expungement (destruction or deletion) of juvenile records vary from state to state, and are usually located in a state’s statutes.

In Colorado, juvenile records are treated with a high degree of confidentiality to protect the privacy of young individuals who have had encounters with the juvenile justice system. Access to these records is generally limited to certain parties, such as law enforcement, the courts, and some government agencies, and is not available to the public. Colorado law allows for the sealing of juvenile records, which means that the records are not accessible to the general public and cannot be considered in most situations, such as employment background checks. Additionally, under certain conditions, individuals may petition for the expungement of their juvenile records, which effectively destroys or removes the records from official databases. The specific procedures and eligibility criteria for sealing and expungement of juvenile records are outlined in Colorado's statutes, and they are designed to provide a fresh start for juveniles once they reach adulthood or meet other specified conditions.