A state audit found that the average age of the Youth Development Centers (YDCs) was 60 years, and they were in very poor condition and inadequate to support rehabilitation. This initiated a plan by the North Carolina Department of Public Safety to replace its Youth Development Centers (YDCs) and the O’Brien Atkins team was retained to develop the program, design the facilities, and evaluate various sites.

The YDC facility design accommodates common and specific therapeutic treatment and educational needs in order to enhance the correctional outcome. The centers provide a more home-like environment and typically are small, 32-bed facilities consisting of 8-bed housing units with adjacent classrooms and treatment spaces.