From 1988 utill they closed their doors in 2008, Thomas O'Farrell Youth Center, Directed by John Yates and was ran by a private firm called, North American Family Institute under a contract with the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services. Thomas O'Farrell Youth Center was an unlocked residential facility that served up to 40 young males at one time from 13 to 18 years of age. The typical youth had many prior court referrals, generally for property and drug offenses. Thomas O'Farrell Youth Center did also accept youths who had failed in less secure settings. In general, Thomas O'Farrell Youth Center did avoid youths with severe mental health problems and those who could not successfully function in a relatively open residential setting. Further, Thomas O'Farrell Youth Center was not specifically equipped to handle sex offenders or violent youths. The program did work best with chronic and serious property offenders, broken homes and especially urban youth actively involved in drug or alcohol. Thomas O'Farrell Youth Center had a mission to provide a community of dignity and respect for all members; Thomas O'Farrell Youth Center was and did  create a positive social environment That was the core of all Thomas O'Farrell Youth Center's activities. The underlying philosophy of Thomas O'Farrell Youth Center, was based on a treatment theory known as the normative model, That theory involved self-help and community support for individual growth and resocialization. The normative treatment approach implicitly recognizes the importance of norms (social rules and expectations) that bond individuals. Norms and components of Thomas O'Farrell Youth Center's programming were identified. The point system that was used to provide positive reinforcement for normative behavior and the Thomas O'Farrell Youth Center's community aftercare program were highly recognized around the country.