An expungement means that the record has been fully deleted or removed from the criminal justice system: in other words, destroyed.  Expungements are not generally available for convictions, though they may be available for infractions or minor traffic violations.

However, even if an expungement is unattainable, you may be able to seal the information instead. A sealed record is not deleted entirely but is made inaccessible to the public.  That means that while your record will still exist, it will only be accessible in very limited circumstances.  Most beneficially, sealed records are not accessible to the far majority of employers.  It is illegal for an employer to ask about or refer to sealed information.

Finally, a record with a Youthful Offender or Juvenile Delinquent status is held confidentially.  While the police and courts will hold onto the adjudication, it is inaccessible and will not be disclosed in most circumstances, similar to information which has been sealed.

In New York, the process for removing violations, cases without a conviction, Juvenile Delinquencies, marijuana offenses, and limited misdemeanors and felonies is technically sealing, because the court documents themselves are not destroyed.

However, there is an element of expungement in the process as well, because the arrest record and processing information are destroyed at the police level.

For most people who are applying for a job outside of law enforcement or public safety, sealing will prevent your potential employer from ever seeing your arrest record.  However, if you are applying for a gun or a job that requires you to carry a gun, your information will be visible to the agency or employer.  Likewise, if you are seeking to enlist in the military, the branch of the military you are enlisting in will also be able to view the sealed record.  Outside of these few exceptions, sealing will be sufficient for most employment purposes.

In Family Court, there are a variety of available dispositions for juvenile delinquents ranging from dismissal of the charges to placement of the offender in a secure facility run by the Division for Youth.

In Criminal or Supreme Court, a child (thirteen years of age) who is charged with Murder in the Second Degree or a sexually motivated felony can be charged as a juvenile offender. Similarly, a child who is fourteen and fifteen years old, who is charged with any crime from a certain list

of violent felony offenses can also be charged as a juvenile offender.

Generally, children charged as Juvenile Offenders face mandatory upstate (more than one year) jail time