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 Ohio, juvenile records are treated with a high degree of confidentiality to protect the privacy of minors who have been involved in the juvenile justice system. Access to these records is generally limited to certain parties, such as court personnel, law enforcement, and specific agencies that have a legal right to access the information for official purposes. Ohio law allows for the sealing and expungement of juvenile records under certain conditions. Sealing a record means that it is hidden from public view, but not destroyed. Expungement, on the other hand, involves the complete destruction or deletion of the record. To have a record sealed or expunged, a juvenile or their attorney must typically file a request with the court, and the court must determine that the individual has been rehabilitated or that the sealing or expungement is in the interest of justice. The specific statutes governing these processes can be found in the Ohio Revised Code, and they outline the eligibility criteria, procedures, and potential limitations for sealing and expunging juvenile records.