Major problems or needs of rural jails are a lack of (1) comprehensive criminal justice planning, (2) written policies and procedures, (3) alternatives to incarceration, (4) staff development, and (5) adequate and realistic jail standards. In the area of comprehensive planning, short-term strategy should include the development of three short-term prototype programs, with no more than one program being facilitated by a professional planning organization. Long-term strategy should include continuing grants to encourage other communities to develop their own plans, as well as seminars and training programs to teach local people how to prepare for comprehensive criminal justice planning. Further, short-term strategy for the development of model policies and procedures should include the creation of a model policy and procedure manual, and long-term strategy might be national and regional seminars to train jail personnel in policy development. A strategy for developing alternatives to incarceration should include technical assistance and the sharing of data from effective pre- and postrial alternatives to incarceration among appropriate local officials. Staff development strategy should involve the development of training materials and the use of mechanisms of technical assistance and training for using updated materials. A long-term strategy for the development of jail standards should include the granting of Federal funds to those States which have not developed standards for construction or operations of jails by 1980. Four references are listed.