The time series and correlation analyses show that the imprisonment rate in many countries is surprisingly stable. The one clear exception is the United Kingdom, which has had a steady and significant increase in its imprisonment. In other nations, especially the United States, the imprisonment rate has increased significantly in recent years, but it is too early to infer stability. The data also show that the imprisonment rate is much more stable than the total crime rate. Analysis of specific types of crime show that the imprisonment rate for serious crime has increased in proportion to the increase in the crime rate. In contrast, the criminal justice system has adapted its response to minor crime, so that the imprisonment rate has not increased as much as the crime rate. The exception to this pattern has been Sweden, where the results probably reflect the lack of a significant increase in the crime rate. Figures and table.