While prisons account for the majority of people in custody, local jails process more than 10 million arrestees annually. Of the 3,300 jails in the United States, sheriffs administer approximately 75 percent. While almost every local jurisdiction has a jail, knowledge of its purpose and function has historically been overshadowed by state prisons. The Jails Division of the National Institute of Corrections is creating an educational video on the purpose and function of a jail. Perhaps this will encourage legislators, funding authorities, research practitioners, and even facility administrators to base all relevant decisions on the real service population. In addition to public education on jails and related improvement in funding procedures, jail administrators and sheriffs face problems in: (1) recruitment and retention of qualified staff; (2) data analysis; (3) accreditation; (4) health care for the incarcerated; (5) facility design and operation; and (6) professional development of jail staff.