What is the fate of juvenile records?

In Washington, juvenile records are kept confidential and generally kept separate from adult criminal records. Depending on the offense and the juvenile’s age, their record may be destroyed, kept for a specific period of time, kept indefinitely, or expunged. Juveniles can petition the court to have their record destroyed up to two years from the date of the offense. However, if the juvenile was over the age of fourteen when the offense occurred, the juvenile record is kept indefinitely. The Washington Juvenile Courts may also allow for the sealing or expungement of juvenile records. This means that the records are kept on file, but are not accessible to the public. To be eligible for this, the juvenile must be at least eighteen years old and not have any criminal charges pending. Additionally, if the juvenile is between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one, they must not have committed any further offenses during that time. If the seal or expungement is granted, the record remains private and is not accessible to prospective employers, schools, or other organizations without a court order. Finally, juvenile records are sometimes used in adult criminal proceedings. Depending on the juvenile’s age, prior offenses can be held against them if they are charged with a crime as an adult. In these cases, the juvenile record may be used as evidence to determine their sentence.

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What is the fate of juvenile records?

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