The most serious problems facing small counties are inadequate staff, deteriorating facilities, and insufficient funds to properly operate the jails. The most serious problem facing larger jails appears to be jail overcrowding. The most cost-effective jails are those with high inmate-to-staff ratios and those with inmate populations at or near capacity. The jail regionalization concept appears to hold the greatest potential for alleviating problems confronting county jails. However, regionalization will only be cost effective if short-term county lockups are exempted from many current jail standards. A map and study data are included. (Author summary modified)