The new Federal Youth Center in Pleasanton, California is attempting to pioneer in successful ways of correcting offenders. Constructed at a cost of five and one half million dollars, the correctional institution offers many innovative programs. As part of the Federal Bureau of Prisons building program, three objectives are to be kept in mind: (1) to reduce critical overcrowding resulting from the substantial increase in commitments from Federal courts, (2) to provide smaller institutions with environments designed to facilitate correctional programs and meet the human need for privacy and dignity, and (3) to eventually replace our large antiquated penitentiaries. Past changes with positive effects will be retained. These programs include vocational and academic training, industrial training, work and study release, college-level courses, and a wide range of intensive counseling. One innovative program at Pleasanton will be its cocorrections program, an opportunity for male and female offenders to work together--a major step toward normalization. The Functional Unit Concept will utilize small housing areas handling 600 or fewer inmates. Each of these functional units has its own resident staff. These programs attempt to resolve the problems inherent in larger facilities and more successfully deal with rehabilitative needs of the young offender. (MW)