Will a juvenile record prevent me from enlisting in security clearance level 1 jobs? (paid, moving)

[cee4]

I have recently applied for the foreign service officer job and received a testing date in February. I was looking through the requirements and it stated specifically that anyone who cannot earn a level 1 security clearance will not be moving forward in the process.

When I was 14 I was charged with assault for sending a 16 year old to the emergency room however I was defending myself and there was never a trial. The process ended in meditation with both sides dropping suits (I filed for a counter assault charge due to the fact that the older teen initiated the fight).

When I was 16 I was caught in costco with a friend and his cousin who apparently thought it was smart to try to steal a xbox from the store without informing me. I signed a few papers when we were caught from the store itself and was taken to a satellite precinct. The charge was taken to trial but my father paid for a lawyer and all I remember at the end was accepting a plea for some sort of traffic violation (according to the lawyer).

I never had an issue with background checks for private jobs and I have had a city government job with no issues passing a check. I was just wondering if these cases that I was never convincted of would show up in their database?

[Squirl]

if you have had no more incidents you very possibly can get your juvenile records sealed. Do research on the requirements for having records sealed in your state.

[nybbler]

I don't know what a "level 1" security clearance is; maybe the foreign service has its own terms. But the process is probably similar to other Federal clearances. I wouldn't expect a juvie record to be an absolute bar, though it might slow down the process. Juvenile records are typically automatically sealed, but the feds of course ignore that; a background investigation can and will turn up sealed records. So make sure you mention them on your SF-86 or other disclosure form. If you don't disclose them, they'll find out and you'll almost certainly not get the clearance.

Also note they'll know you asked the question because one of the things they ask for (if I remember correctly) is any nicknames or handles you've used, so you'll have to tell them you use "cee4".

[cee4]

Originally Posted by nybbler

I don't know what a "level 1" security clearance is; maybe the foreign service has its own terms. But the process is probably similar to other Federal clearances. I wouldn't expect a juvie record to be an absolute bar, though it might slow down the process. Juvenile records are typically automatically sealed, but the feds of course ignore that; a background investigation can and will turn up sealed records. So make sure you mention them on your SF-86 or other disclosure form. If you don't disclose them, they'll find out and you'll almost certainly not get the clearance.

Also note they'll know you asked the question because one of the things they ask for (if I remember correctly) is any nicknames or handles you've used, so you'll have to tell them you use "cee4".

Thanks. Didnt know my online username also had to be put down on the form