1) Juvenile arrest and court records can negatively impact youth for years after the fact when applying to colleges or jobs, even though such records are meant to be confidential. 2) Black and Latino youth are disproportionately arrested compared to white youth. 3) Youth can petition to have their records expunged so they are destroyed and employers cannot consider them, but many eligible youth do not seek expungement. 4) The document outlines the expungement process and eligibility requirements, including that most youth are eligible to have minor offenses expunged by age 18 and more serious offenses by age 21 if it has been at least 5 years since the offense and they have no adult convictions.

1. Juvenile Expungement
Camille Taylor, LAF (Legal Assistance Foundation)

2. Introduction…
Why expungement matters
 80-90 percent of American teenagers acknowledge in confidential
interviews that they have committed an illegal act.
 If you have police patrolling your neighborhood or school you may be
arrested for these acts. Black teens are arrested at five times the rate of
white teens, and Latinos at two to three times the rate of white teens.
 Juvenile arrest and court records are automatically “sealed” but there
are a lot of exceptions, and it is becoming easier for non-excepted
employers and housing agencies to uncover these records even years
later.
 Youth may petition for “expungement,” and if granted, their records are
destroyed, and employers may not consider the records.
 But in 2013, the Cook County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office had 5,994
juvenile cases on file, but individuals only sought to expunge 661 of
those cases.

3. Agenda
1. What is a juvenile record?
2. How might it effect you?
3. Are you eligible for expungement?
4. How can you expunge your records?

4. Q: Do I have a juvenile record?
A: Yes, if you have ever been arrested as a juvenile
or gone to court as a juvenile.
ARRESTS
Juvenile arrests are:
All arrests up to age 17 (past)
All arrests up to age 18 (now)
Juvenile records are not:
Traffic violation cases (including DUIs)
Ordinance violation cases
COURT
Juvenile court cases are:
Heard at Cook County Juvenile Court
(1100 S. Hamilton)
Include petty offenses (e.g. curfew
violations)
Juvenile court cases are not:
Juvenile tried as adult
Traffic offenses

5. Q: Who keeps juvenile arrest records?
1. Arresting Agency (e.g. Chicago Police Dept.)
2. Illinois State Police
3. FBI (before 2010)

6. Q: How might my juvenile
record affect me?
Juvenile records are confidential, but:
You may be asked to disclose your juvenile record on
college applications
Your juvenile record may show up on background checks
for jobs such as:
Working in schools (even for crossing guards!)
Healthcare fields (e.g. nursing)
Private security
Other professional licenses
Other jobs (unlawfully)

7. Q: What is Expungement?
A: Erasure of your police and court record.
After expungement, no one will see
your juvenile record except:
Military Employers
Law Enforcement Employers
Immigration

8. Q: Can I get my record
expunged?
A: Usually YES.
Subsection 1: Age18; No pending cases.
 For arrests, supervisions, and adjudications for minor
offenses.
Subsection 2: Age 21; 5 years after offense; No adult
convictions.
 For adjudications for serious crimes.
Never Eligible: First-degree murder and Felony Sex
Offenses.

9. Common Subsection 1 Offenses:
So these offenses can be expunged once you are 18.

10. Common Subsection 2 Offenses:
• Any “aggravated” offense or offenses involving a
weapon
So these offenses can be expunged once 5 years have passed and you are 21.

11. Q: How do I get my record
expunged?
Step #1: Get juvenile rap sheet (arrest record).
Step #2: Come to the help desk and file petition(s)
for expungement.
[45 days]
Step #3: Show up on the court date.
[60 days]
Step #4: Check records.

12. Step #1: Get juvenile rap sheet
Chicago Police Department:
3510 S. Michigan
Available same day
Free!
Adult records cost $16
Need I.D.
Will be fingerprinted
May need parent permission
slip

13. Step #2: File Petition(s)
One per arrest
Always in Cook
County Juvenile
Court
• 1100 S. Hamilton,
Ground Floor
$64 Filing Fee due
on day of filing (per
petition)
Fees can be
waived!

14. Step #3: Attend Court Date
Can be attended by a
family member
Always in Cook County
Juvenile Court
1100 S. Hamilton, Usually
Judge Brooks
Check in with Clerk’s office
on day of hearing
Fee waiver hearing on
this date
$60 Expungement Fee
due on day
Fees can be waived!

15. Step #4: Check records
Approximately 60 days from court date
Will get a postcard from the Illinois
State Police confirming expungement
Will have the legal right to say no
juvenile record
Employers cannot legally consider
expunged records

16. Juvenile Expungement Help Desk
Mondays and Tuesdays: 9:00am – 4:00pm
Thursdays: 9:00 am – 12:00pm
Cook County Juvenile Center
1100 S. Hamilton, Ground Floor, Chicago
312-229-6359 ◦ ctaylor@lafchicago.org