Depending on certain circumstances a youth can be detained at home on home detention if granted, or in either of two centres.

The Magill Training Centre provides secure care for boys and girls on detention orders imposed by the court or on remand awaiting a hearing. A separate institution at Cavan houses more mature boys serving medium to longer term detention orders.

Shortly after arriving at the centre a panel draws up an individual program for each youth. This usually covers matters such as education, workshop training, recreational interests and family and community involvement. The youth's progress and circumstances must be reviewed at least every six months by the Training Centre Review Board (Young Offenders Act 1993 s 39).

The Training Centre Review Board may, with certain conditions, authorise the youth's release before the full term of detention is served. This is known as conditional release (Young Offenders Act 1993 s 41). Two-thirds of the sentence must be served before the youth is eligible for early release. If any of the conditions are breached the youth may have to serve out the remainder of the original detention order.

Most youths who do not pay fines are given the option of undertaking a work program on a non-residential basis instead of being placed in secure care.

Once a youth reaches 18 years, upon application to a Judge of the Youth Court they can be transferred to an adult prison if the court is satisfied that a prison would be an appropriate place for that person to be held for the remainder of the period of their detention order (Young Offenders Act 1993 s 63(2)).

Section 63(4) Young Offenders Act 1993 provides for transfer of a youth of or above the age of 16 years to a prison on the application of the Chief Executive where the youth cannot be properly controlled in the training centre or, has been found guilty of assaulting an employee or another resident of the training centre within the preceding 14 days or, has persistently incited disturbance in the training centre; or has escaped or attempted to escape from the training centre.