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 Rhode Island, 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 restricted to certain parties, such as the juvenile themselves, their parents or guardians, attorneys, and specific agencies involved in the juvenile justice system. Rhode Island law allows for the sealing and expungement of juvenile records under certain conditions. Sealing means that the records are closed off from public view, but they still exist, while expungement refers to the complete destruction or removal of the records. The eligibility for sealing or expungement typically depends on factors such as the nature of the offense, the time that has passed since the case was closed, and the individual's subsequent behavior. The goal of these regulations is to prevent the long-term negative impact that a juvenile record might have on a young person's future, including their education and employment opportunities.