HEALTH CARE DELIVERY SYSTEMS IN MOST PRISONS AND JAILS ARE INADEQUATE, AND MANY CORRECTIONAL AGENCIES ARE UNDER INCREASING PRESSURE, PARTICULARLY FROM THE COURTS, TO PROVIDE MORE ADEQUATE LEVELS OF CARE. A REVIEW OF SEVERAL HEALTH CARE DELIVERY SYSTEMS INDICATED THAT FEDERAL AND STATE PRISONS AND LOCAL JAILS, TO VARYING DEGREES, HAD NOT MET MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR CARE, PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS, MEDICAL RECORDKEEPING, STAFFING, AND MEDICAL FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT. WHILE THE PRISONS VISITED GAVE INMATES COMPREHENSIVE ENTRANCE PHYSICALS, DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND DENTAL EXAMINATIONS IN STATE PRISONS WERE INADEQUATE, AND NONE OF THE STATE AND FEDERAL PRISONS GAVE REGULAR FOLLOWUP EXAMINATIONS. MOST JAILS GAVE NO PHYSICALS. MEDICAL AND DENTAL RECORDS IN THESE INSTITUTIONS WERE NOT ALWAYS COMPLETE, AND MANY STATE PRISONS AND SOME FEDERAL INSTITUTIONS ASSIGNED INMATES TO MAINTAIN RECORDS. SUFFICIENT, QUALIFIED HEALTH STAFF IS DIFFICULT TO ATTRACT AND KEEP EMPLOYED AT PRISONS AND MANY SMALL JAILS HAD NO MEDICAL STAFF AVAILABLE TO GIVE FIRST AID OR ENTRANCE PHYSICALS. BECAUSE THE STATE PRISONS AND JAILS DID NOT ALWAYS MEET NATIONAL MEDICAL AND DENTAL CARE STANDARDS FOR SERVICES PROVIDED, IT IS SUGGESTED THAT CORRECTIONAL ADMINISTRATORS EVALUATE THE HEALTH NEEDS OF INMATES, DETERMINE THE RESOURCES REQUIRED FOR MEETING THESE NEEDS, AND THEN DEVELOP ADEQUATE COMMUNITY RESOURCES AS WELL AS INSTITUTIONAL FACILITIES. A FEDERAL STRATEGY IS NEEDED FOR DETERMINING THE MEDICAL AND DENTAL NEEDS OF INMATES, IMPLEMENTING HEALTH STANDARDS, AND ASSISTING STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN BRINGING THEIR HEALTH SYSTEMS INTO COMPLIANCE WITH AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION STANDARDS. THE APPENDIX CONTAINS STUDY DATA AND A LIST OF SURVEY LOCATIONS.