Teenagers make mistakes, which sometimes land them in the juvenile justice system. Research shows that because young brains are not fully developed, a teenager’s decisions may be impulsive and not well thought out.
Youthful mistakes should not follow a person around for the rest of their life if they’ve successfully transitioned to adulthood.
Most kids with juvenile delinquency records turn their lives around and become responsible citizens. However, because juvenile delinquency records are public records, those involved in the juvenile justice system may have difficulty as adults getting a job, finding housing, being accepted into college and qualifying for scholarships.
That’s why the Senate Judiciary Committee approved SF 2288, which makes juvenile delinquency records confidential and not available to the public unless the alleged crime is a serious felony. To protect public safety, confidential records will, however, remain accessible to county attorneys, the court system, the Department of Corrections, schools, law enforcement and other government entities that need them.