Easley Announces Plan To Update Youth Development Centers

Gov. Mike Easley announced Tuesday a plan to update youth development centers throughout North Carolina, including the addition of three new facilities.

Following the innovative model of lease-buy financing used previously to build prisons in Anson, Scotland and Alexander counties, Easley is calling for youth development centers to be built near the current Dobbs (in Lenoir County), Swannanoa (in Buncombe County) and Stonewall Jackson (in Cabarrus County) sites.

"High-quality youth development centers in North Carolina are critical in being able to help our children turn their lives around so that they can become productive citizens," Easley said.

Lease-purchase financing allows the project to be privately financed and constructed, then sold to the North Carolina Infrastructure Finance Corporation, a non-profit appointed by the state Treasurer. The youth development centers will then be leased to the Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, under terms that offer options for purchase.