Prison overcrowding must be confronted. It has multiple negative effects on prisoner adjustment, and it taxes physical structures which are already in poor condition. One means of reducing the jail population is to adopt pretrial diversion programs. In large cities, 50 percent of arrestees are diverted from the system at the point of arraignment, but in the smaller cities and counties, a much larger proportion filter through the arraignment process and end up in county jails. In many counties, release on recognizance is not significantly used because the local magistrate has none to verify the information. This might be remedied by using volunteers to collect some information from an arrestee and verify an address or place of employment. With only release on recognizance and 10 percent cash bail, 70 to 80 percent of arrestees in every jurisdiction could be diverted from jail. Arrestees who have detained in jails after arraignment for not meeting bail might obtain release by simply installing more phones for prisoner use in jails and permitting more phone calls by prisoners. The prisoner may then increase the chances of contacting someone who will make bail. Early intervention by the public defender, good casework that can identify appropriate referrals to community programs, and the use of conditions for pretrial release, such as participation in a drug or alcohol program, could do much in achieving early release from pretrial detention.