If you are in high school, have been convicted of a felony, or have already been charged with a crime, you may wonder what the future holds for you.
If found guilty of felony offenses, many negative consequences can follow you for the rest of your life through juvenile records. It is very important to understand how a conviction will affect you, if there is automatic expungement, and if it may go away once you turn 18.
For the most part, no criminal record ever really goes away. Government agencies can always look up the entire criminal history of practically any US citizen.
However, there is an exception for those who committed crimes, whether misdemeanors or felonies, when under 18. Every state is different, but there are usually mechanisms for sealing or the automatic expungement of a criminal record, even a felony conviction, if it was committed as a juvenile offender.
What is a juvenile record?
Every state has a cutoff point between when someone is legally considered a child or an adult. Anyone under this cutoff point is called underage or is grouped into the category of juvenile. Any crimes they commit or arrest made against them are placed in a juvenile record that can be looked up by the courts, agencies, or social services. This record stays with you until you are legally an adult and can affect your ability to find housing or a job.
When you turn 18, the state seals your juvenile record. This means that most people will not be able to see it unless you disclose it or someone else reveals it to them (like with a background check).
When does a court consider me an adult?
Some states will consider you an adult when you reach 17. This is the age when you could be tried as an adult in a court of law. Some states wait until you’re at least 19 years old. Some states will go as low as 16 or younger if you commit a severe crime. That is usually reserved for cases involving extreme violence or murder.
If you were convicted as an adult, you could apply to have your record sealed. When this happens, the public will not be able to access your criminal history from the court system unless they seek employment with law enforcement or another government agency that requires information about past convictions for specific reasons (like background checks).
You may also be required to pay a fee and provide a copy of your birth certificate when applying for either type of clearance from juvenile court records—either way, it depends on how old you were during sentencing and what state laws dictate regarding mandatory disclosures regarding arrests or conviction records after turning 18 years old.
Can I clear the felony from my juvenile record?
Once legally an adult, you will most likely have the opportunity to seal or expunge your juvenile record. You do this to make background checks much easier to manage when applying for a job or housing.
Again, every state has a different procedure to seal your juvenile record, so you’ll probably have to do some research. You may want to contact a court clerk in the court where the case was heard or the conviction was made. They should be able to direct you to the right person to help you out.
Will a juvenile felony conviction my job search as an adult?
The short answer is probably not. If you can seal your juvenile record, the only people who will see what you did will be federal agencies doing a deep background check. Most background checks done by public companies do not reach the level of one done by an agency like the FBI or NSA.
You will most likely be allowed to explain what happened when you were underage. This is because people tend to be much more forgiving of a mistake you made as a child than things you’ve done as an adult.
A felony conviction can impact your ability to find work, even if you’re not sentenced to prison time. It might seem like the end of the world, but it doesn’t have to be. As an adult, you can still get help from a lawyer and make it clear on your resume why you were convicted as a juvenile.
Anything else I should know about a juvenile felony conviction?
There are a couple pieces of good news. Most states have a statute of limitations to any crime committed while you were a juvenile. If you reach the age of 21, you may not be tried for crimes committed while you were younger in most cases.
The only exceptions include the big three: rape, murder, and aggravated assault. Some states will not allow you to seal a juvenile record because the crime was so severe in those cases. If that is your situation, you’re better off hiring a lawyer to help navigate your options.
A juvenile felony record should be automatically sealed.
Some organizations are pursuing legislation in states that do not already automatically seal juvenile records. Research shows that if people are given a second chance, even with a previous felony conviction when they were under 18, they may still become contributing members of society in their adult life.
If you have the time, you should research local organizations in your state pursuing legislation agendas that seek to improve the life of people with past criminal convictions.
Our society needs to be flexible enough to allow those who committed crimes in their juvenile years, including felonies.
Otherwise, we condemn them to a lifetime of difficulty finding work, a safe place to live, and a second chance. If you are someone who has a felony conviction on your juvenile record, you should reach out and find a way to have it sealed. It could be the only thing holding you back from many great opportunities.
Where to Find Help with Juvenile Records
If you’re looking for legal help, there are several places to turn. First, talk to a lawyer. If you don’t have money for a lawyer, check your local court or county law library. They may be able to point you in the direction of a pro bono (free) attorney who can help with your case.
Second, talk to your school guidance counselor — they might know someone at the school who could introduce them and lead you in the right direction.
Thirdly, talk to your local police department. Some officers are trained as legal advocates and might be able to assist with getting in touch with services that specialize in youth record expungement laws.
Finally, if none of these options work for you or you need to provide more information about how juvenile records are expunged from public view when one turns 18, then contact a legal aid society near where you live.
If you would like to learn more about changing your life after a felony conviction, check out the guide Getting Out: success after incarceration available on Amazon.
