If a person was charged as a youthful offender does that mean the public can not find out what they was in jail for?

The term 'Youthful Offender' is often mis-used in context of Alabama criminal law. 'Youthful Offender' is a status and not charge. Under the Code of Alabama, 1975, section 15-19-1, the statute provides (or authorizes) a court upon petition of the defendant aged 18-20 at the time of the offense to grant 'Youthful Offender' status. The case is then disposed of by trial or by plea. The difference in a Y.O. disposition is that the record of the disposition must sealed. A Y.O. adjudication - it is an "adjudication" and not a "conviction" - is that a person who is found guilty of the charged offense is not "convicted" but "adjudicated" a Youthful Offender. This protects the person later in life by being able to state that they were not "convicted" of the offense for which they were arrested. The grant of the Y.O. petition is discretionary with the trial court. The court is required to conduct an investigation into the nature of the offense before the petition is granted, and the district attorney has a right to object to the Y.O. petition. If the court should refuse Y.O. treatment, that decision cannot be appealled, nor can it serve as a basis for a writ of mandamus. The fact that Y.O. may have been granted by the trial court does not seal the arrest record. There is still the arrest data and fingerprint card on file. However, the disposition of the case is reported as "sealed."