(ERASING YOUR RECORD)
Youth who are arrested and/or successfully complete their involvement with the juvenile justice system and do not commit new crimes may have their records expunged or erased. Even if a youth is arrested and the case does not go to court, the arrest record needs to be expunged. Arrests are more likely to show up on a background check when a person consents to a background check when applying for employment. When a record is expunged, it is as if the crime never occurred. Each law enforcement agency expunges or destroys their records on the youth. Expungement includes erasing both police records and court records if the case proceeded to court. If an inquiry is made on a youth's criminal background and the records were expunged, the answer back to the person or entity making the inquiry, will be that "no records exist."
WHAT CAN NEVER BE EXPUNGED OR ERASED
Findings of Guilty for:
- First Degree Murder
- Felony Sex Offenses
- Certain Traffic Offenses such as: Driving Under the Influence of alcohol or drugs or Reckless Homicide
TO BEGIN THE EXPUNGEMENT PROCESS, FIRST OBTAIN A HISTORY OF ALL ARRESTS FROM THE ARRESTING LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. THEN COMPLETE THE EXPUNGEMENT PAPERWORK FROM THE OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY. THERE ARE FEES INVOLVED IN GETTING JUVENILE RECORDS EXPUNGED BUT THE COURT CAN MAKE A DETERMINATION THAT A PARTY IS INDIGENT AND UNABLE TO PAY FEES.
WHERE TO GET HELP WITH JUVENILE EXPUNGEMENTS Juvenile Justice Division
Office of the Presiding Judge
2245 West Ogden Avenue Room 8004
Chicago, Illinois 60612
(312)433-6990
Juvenile Expungement Help Desk
Cook County Juvenile Court Center
1100 S. Hamilton Avenue
Ground Floor
Chicago, Illinois 60612
First come, first served
Walk-in hours: Mondays: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Tuesdays: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Thursdays: 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
For more information and appointments, call (312) 229-6072
Note: The Juvenile Expungement Help Desk is operating remotely during the pandemic.
Office of the State Appellate Offender
www.state.iLusidefender/exp.html
1-866-431-4907
Illinois State Police
Bureau of Identification
260 North Chicago Street
Joliet, Illinois 60431-1060
Attn: Expungement
Consulado de Mexico
204 South Ashland Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60607
(312)738-2383
Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County
Cook County Juvenile Center
1100 South Hamilton Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60612
(312)433-4941
Children and Family Justice Center
Northwestern University Bluhm Legal Clinic
357 East Chicago Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60611
(312)503-0093
Cabrini Green Legal Clinic
206 West Division Street
Chicago, Illinois 60610
(312)266-1345