A projected 1990 increase of 19 percent in the inmate population will further strain already overcrowded prisons and jails. While construction is under way and additional local facilities are planned, these capacity additions will not fully meet the forecast demand for confinement space. Additional construction is needed at both the State and local level, and nonconstruction initiatives also will be needed. Consequently, it is recommended that calculations of jail capacity should be made on a systematic standardized basis, planning capacity measures should be made more accurate, jail building standards should be lowered, and jail management practices should be improved. Inmate transfers to underutilized jails, changes in the inmate intake priority system, and a review of parole eligibility criteria also are recommended. 9 figures, 18 tables, and appended data.