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 Michigan, juvenile records are generally protected under the law to maintain the confidentiality of young individuals who have been involved in the juvenile justice system. Access to these records is typically limited to certain parties, such as court personnel, law enforcement, and sometimes the juvenile and their parents or guardians. Michigan law allows for the sealing and expungement of juvenile records under specific circumstances, which can further protect a juvenile's privacy and prevent the long-term consequences of having a juvenile record. The process for sealing or expunging records involves a court procedure where the individual or their attorney petitions the court, and the court determines eligibility based on factors such as the nature of the offense, the juvenile's age, and their behavior since the offense. The goal of these protections is to enable juveniles to move past their early mistakes without the burden of a public record that could affect their future opportunities in education, employment, and other areas of life.