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 Wisconsin, 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. State statutes govern the accessibility and handling of these records. Generally, access to juvenile records is limited to certain parties, such as court personnel, law enforcement, and some government agencies, and is not available to the public. Wisconsin law allows for the expungement of juvenile records under specific conditions, such as the completion of a court-ordered sentence or supervision, and if the court finds that the juvenile has benefited from rehabilitation. The expungement process effectively seals or destroys the records, thereby removing the stigma that might be associated with a juvenile record. However, the criteria and procedures for sealing or expunging records can be complex, and they may require the assistance of an attorney to navigate the legal requirements.