<p>I was arrested for a petty theft misdeameanor at the age of 17. I live in Florida so there is an "Expungment" of juvenille record at age 18. Does this apply when checking NO for the criminal aspect. If i check no does the college even search or see a juvenille record that has been expunged?</p>
<p>I think they remove it from your records if it's expunged. Check the public records and see if the charge comes up. If it has been expunged, then I think you put NO on the college apps. I thought it was only for felonies though? My friend was caught with a balisong at the airport and had it expunged, and he put NO on his college applications.</p>
<p>First, were you simply arrested or were you convicted? If you were arrested but not convicted, you have nothing to worry about. If you were convicted, I think you can put "No" in good faith if you are eighteen when you apply/before you send in your application your record has been expunged. It seems to me that to penalize a person for not listing an offense for which his/her record had been expunged would be equivalent to a company who on their job application asks if the applicant has ever been arrested; if this analogy is apt, then both would be a violation of Due Process and thus illegal.</p>
<p>However, if it works out for you not to write about your conviction, make sure that none of your letters of recommendation touch upon it. What you don't want is the schools to which are you applying to hear about the situation and wonder "why wasn't this applicant forthcoming enough to tell us?"; even if your withholding the info was justified. Good luck.</p>