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 New York, 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. New York law generally restricts access to juvenile records to certain parties, such as the court, law enforcement, and specific authorized agencies. These records include arrest records, school records, and medical or behavioral health records, among others. The Family Court Act (FCA) provides the legal framework for handling juvenile records. For instance, under FCA Section 381.2, juvenile delinquency records are sealed automatically. Additionally, New York allows for the expungement of certain juvenile records, which means that the records can be destroyed or deleted under specific conditions. The criteria and procedures for sealing and expungement of juvenile records are detailed in the state's statutes, and they are designed to minimize the long-term impact of early contact with the justice system on a juvenile's future.