Even with improved laws and enforcement, no significant progress can be made in combating crime unless we first do something to provide additional jail space for those convicted. This rather startlinz statement by Republican Sen. Howard Baker of Tennessee, U.S. Senate majority leader, could signal a significant problem in any national crackdown on crime. Baker addressed himself to what he termed a serious shortage of jail facilities after endorsing an omnibus bill for improving violent crime and drug enforcement introduced recently in the Senate. Using Florida as an example, Baker said jails in the southern part of that state “are so overcrowded that most currently are under court orders to limit population growth.” As the senator noted, that condition could influence courts to lean heavily on probation instead of incarceration. even with defendants convicted of felonies. It follows also that the courts must consider the space problem when setting bail, with a tendency to release some prisoners accused of felonies on low b o n d s to a v 0 i d overcrowding the jails. The south Florida situation may be an extreme case. Nevertheless jail space adequacy figures ‘ the over-all picture crime control and must be considered a natiorill basis. ” Baker made ne qiiflcant recommend ti for relief -transfer& rplus federal roperty to state and locaygovernfnents for use as correction facilities. This can be done through a proposed amendment to the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 which Baker supports. “Propertles such as ,surplus military facilities could be utilized as jail institutions without creating unnecessary burduis-upon federal and state pudgets,” he said. ;F;Under auch a plan. orida alone stands tu gain 23 additional sites for its corrections depart-. ment. ‘ In the growing need to reverse violent crime and drua abu trends. the problem 0; jail facilities should n be overlooked. Baker has performed a public service in calling attention to the issue. Perhaps a state-by-state. survey of jail-prison space should be undertaken or gpdated as the case may e.