The manual describes the planning process required to apply for State jail construction money and to build and operate such facilities in the State; information on the high costs of building, financing, and operating jails can be used as arguments against more building and as a way to explore alternatives to jail. The text also profiles the jail population in order to highlight inequities in the criminal justice system. For instance, California police arrest minorities in numbers disproportionate to their share of the population; in some counties, public inebriates, the mentally ill, and other groups are held in adult jails. Discussion focuses on alternatives to jailing, to building jails, and to the criminal justice process itself, and suggests practical ways individuals can involve themselves in local jail decisions. A flow chart illustrates the criminal justice process, while the narrative explains the options, at each decision point, that channel people away from or into jail. Sample questions citizens can ask about this process are interspersed throughout the text. Some statistical data along with 20 references and a resource list are included.