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 Louisiana (LA), juvenile records are protected under state law to maintain the confidentiality of young individuals who have been involved in the juvenile justice system. These records include arrest, school, medical, behavioral health, and family history documents. Access to juvenile records is generally restricted to certain parties, such as law enforcement, the courts, and some government agencies, and is not available to the public to the same extent as adult criminal records. Louisiana law provides mechanisms for sealing and expungement of juvenile records, which can further protect a juvenile's privacy and limit the long-term impact of having been involved in the justice system. The sealing process makes the records inaccessible to most people without a court order, while expungement typically involves the destruction or deletion of records. The specific procedures and eligibility for sealing or expunging juvenile records are outlined in the state's statutes, and they may require the fulfillment of certain conditions, such as the passage of time without subsequent offenses, or the completion of a diversion program.