What are Alaska Juvenile Court Records?

A juvenile in Alaska refers to any individual below 18 who is facing delinquent charges according to the provisions of the Juvenile Justice System. A juvenile record is an official documentation of the activities of the justice system in relation to a juvenile. They could be court records, community probation writings, or law enforcement agency reports. They could also be documentation by social service agencies and community supervision officers. Regarding juvenile court records in the state, the Alaska State Statutes provide interpretations to the proceedings of the Juvenile Court system. The Juvenile Justice System is a subsidiary of the Alaska Department of Health and has jurisdiction over all cases pertaining juveniles. Juvenile records are private in the state, because the purpose for them is rehabilitation and not for punitive reasons.

What Information is Contained in an Alaska Juvenile Record?

Here is a list of continents of a juvenile record:

• Names and contact addresses of the juvenile
• A unique record identifier code
• Referral source (police or sheriff’s departments, District Courts, school districts)
• Notice of arrests and charges
• Names of defending attorneys
• Names and contact details of guardians and parents
• Investigation reports
• Court evaluations
• Medical examination
• Defendant identification details
• Reports of proceedings
• Juvenile Probation supervisor feedbacks
• Progress updates of supervision programs

What Cases are heard by Alaska Juvenile Courts?

The Alaska Juvenile Justice System handles juvenile cases through the Superior and Youth Courts across the state. Some the cases handled include:

• Bullying (Assault)
• Shoplifting
• School Suspensions
• Curfew Violation
• Tobacco violations
• Marijuana use
• Traffic violations
• Ganga involvement

Who is Eligible to View Juvenile Records in Alaska?

All information about juveniles in courts and law enforcement agencies are confidential in Alaska by statute. The custodian agencies only release to eligible persons or with a court order. Eligible persons include:

• Preliminary investigators
• Victim or their insurance agencies
• Probationary officer
• Prosecuting counsel
• School officials
• Participating government agencies

A juvenile record may become public, so long the rule of anonymity remains unviolated.

How to Find Juvenile Records in Alaska

Superior Courts hear cases of juvenile delinquency across the state. There is a Youth Court arm of the Juvenile Justice System that hears juvenile cases by peers empowered to serve as prosecutors, defense, and judges. Determine the court that received the filing or referral. Use the Alaska Court Directory to get information about the relevant court location. Youth Courts mostly service tribal communities. Have at hand the name of the juvenile, the court that handled the case, the year of the hearing, and the unique identifying record number. Besides these, have ready a valid proof of eligibility to view or copy the records. Otherwise, get a court order and submit along with the application.

Both primary custodians listed above submit data on cases pertaining to juveniles to the Juvenile Justice System. For more information, interested parties can visit the facility at:

State of Alaska Dept of Health & Social Services Division of Juvenile Justice 240 Main Street, Suite 701 P. O. Box 110635 Juneau

AK 99811

Alternatively, call (907) 465–2212, send a facsimile to (907) 465–2333, or send an email

Law enforcement agencies also create and maintain records of arrests, custodies and detentions. The same rules of confidentiality apply to them as court records. Viewing the records may be free, but copies may come at a fee. The intentional violation of the confidentiality statute by an individual is a Class B misdemeanor.

Records that are considered public may be accessible from some third-party websites. These websites often make searching simpler, as they are not limited by geographic location, and search engines on these sites may help when starting a search for a specific or multiple records. To begin using such a search engine on a third-party or government website, interested parties usually must provide:

• The name of the person involved in the record, unless said person is a juvenile

• The location or assumed location of the record or person involved. This includes information such as the city, county, or state that person resides in or was accused in.

Third-party sites are independent from government sources, and are not sponsored by these government agencies. Because of this, record availability on third-party sites may vary.

Can You Look up Alaska Juvenile Records Online?

The laws of the state do not state specifically if the online repositories of juvenile records are accessible to the public. However, the statute of confidentiality of paper records impose that electronic versions must not jeopardize the confidential nature of the record. In other words, juvenile records are not publicly accessible online. All requests for electronic copies will require a submission of requests at the local courthouse that handled the case. Occasionally, a juvenile may move into the public space by order, if there is a need to protect members of the community by notifying them. This is true of habitual offenders of crimes that are felony equivalents in adult criminal courts.

Do Alaska Juvenile Records show on Background Checks?

No. they are invisible to regular inquirer. The authorities are meant to communicate a ‘not available ' feedback to such requesters. However, when a person applies for employment in a childcare, healthcare, or security facility, the employing agency can access all records, include juveniles. The delicate nature of the roles in these facilities makes it essential to assess the risk profile of the individual. Government agencies on official business can also see these records, as well as law enforcement officials assigned to the case.

How Long are Juvenile Records Kept in Alaska?

Alaska state custodian agencies for juvenile record retain them for a lifetime, but not to cause collateral damage throughout the lifetime of the bearer. The Alaska State statutes §§ 47.12.300 (d)- (f) provide for sealing of juvenile records. There is no provision for expungement or destruction of the records from the system. But when a record is sealed, it is as though it did not exist. The law restores deprived civil rights to the owner of the record.

Alaska conducts an auto sealing process of court records within 30 days after the bearer reaches the age of 18 years. If The court keeps jurisdiction over the juvenile, the process activates upon the expiry of the jurisdiction. Here, jurisdiction refers to pending court orders, obligations or administrative process. If the juvenile has convicted for a felony offense, he or she must wait for five years after completing the sentence to qualify for auto sealing. Even then the Superior Court must declare that the sentence had a rehabilitative effect on the juvenile, before a court to seal is issued. Note that sealed records may be opened, if the involved juvenile earns a conviction in adulthood. Offenses that do not qualify for sealing are felony offense- equivalents, traffic offenses, and violent crimes.