Historically, planning a new facility emphasizes construction details, with little consideration given to programming. Today, an agency planning a new facility must clearly define the offender population it serves and what program requirements the new facility will have if the completed product is to be user friendly. Qualified architects and consultants can help guide the agency through the facility planning and construction process. Successful planning must also involve government officials, juvenile justice practitioners, juvenile advocacy groups, and others with an interest in juvenile justice issues. Four planning phases should be followed: (1) form a participatory task force comprised of agency staff; (2) collect information on the local juvenile justice system and its effects on the new facility; (3) conduct a feasibility study; and (4) choose a site and design the facility. The selection of an architectural firm should be based on previous experience, and including an architectural firm at an early stage should increase the quality of the planning process.