IN 1978-1979,THE INMATE POPULATION STEADILY INCREASED AT THE SALT LAKE COUNTY JAIL. INMATE CROWDING, I.E., AN AVERAGE OF 329 INMATES DAILY DURING 1978, HAS CAUSED THE JAIL TO BE IN VIOLATION OF FEDERAL JAIL STANDARDS FREQUENTLY. ALONG WITH THE INCREASE IN THE GENERAL POPULATION, THE NUMBER OF INMATES IN NEED OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ALSO INCREASED. A NEW FACILITY WILL SOLVE THE OVERCROWDING PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM OF INCREASED NUMBERS OF MENTALLY DISTURBED INMATES, HOWEVER, NEEDS MORE IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. OF THE 329 AVERAGE DAILY INMATE POPULATION, THE MENTAL HEALTH TEAM RECEIVED AN AVERAGE OF 80 REFERRALS PER MONTH. PROBLEMS NECESSITATING REFERRALS INCLUDE EMERGENCY SITUATIONS SUCH AS ATTEMPTED SUICIDE, SEVERE DISTURBANCE CAUSED BY INCARCERATION, AND MENTALLY ILL OFFENDERS WHO SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN BOOKED INTO JAIL INITIALLY. THE HOUSING OF SEVERELY DISTURBED PSYCHOTIC OR SUICIDAL INMATES PRESENTS SUPERVISION PROBLEMS FOR THE JAIL HAS ATTEMPTED TO IMPROVE CONDITIONS THROUGH STAFF EFFORTS. THE STAFF INCLUDES PSYCHOLOGISTS, SOCIAL WORKERS, AND A RECREATION THERAPIST; WHILE EDUCATIONAL SERVICES ARE PROVIDED UNDER STAFF ADMINISTRATION. THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS THAT FINANCIAL AND OTHER RESOURCES BE DEVELOPED AND MAINTAINED TO CONTINUE THE OPERATION OF A COMPETENT MENTAL HEALTH TEAM AT THE FACILITY. HOLDING CELLS SHOULD BE MODIFIED TO ADDRESS THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS OF PSYCHOTIC AND SUICIDAL INMATES. PLANNERS OF THE NEW FACILITY SHOULD CONSIDER PROVISIONS FOR HOUSING THE MENTALLY ILL OFFENDER. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN THE JAIL PROGRAMS SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED THROUGH THE MEDIA AND THROUGH ESTABLISHMENT OF A CITIZEN ADVISORY COUNCIL. GRAPHS AND CHARTS ARE PROVIDED. (LWM)