Report: Laws holding back juveniles with criminal records

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - A report from a state-run commission says Illinois laws are preventing juveniles with criminal records from getting employment, education and housing.

The Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission released a report Thursday that found that costly fees and strict eligibility rules are among the barriers for youth to have their records expunged. The commission says an average of three in 1,000 juvenile arrest records were expunged from 2004 to 2014.

The commission advices the governor and lawmakers on juvenile justice matters.

They report also says weak confidentiality laws allow schools, prospective employers and landlords that should have limited access to see records.

The commission recommends eliminating juvenile expungement fees that can run as high as $320 and limiting public access to juvenile records.