A survey of criminological literature indicates that West Germany alone has been able to resist the trend toward increasing prison populations and longer prison terms. Two causes are responsible for this trend, which is paralleled in the United States and Canada. First, the abolition or reluctance to execute capital punishment leads to indeterminate or very long sentences; parole or early release are often expressly restricted in such cases. Second, since the 1980s, the criminal policy in the countries studied has chosen a dual approach. While minor offenses receive only short prison terms or alternative sentences, serious offenses (such as violent crimes, sexual crimes, or recidivism) now lead to longer prison terms. For example, in the Netherlands the sentences for using soft drugs have shortened, whereas hard drug users now face considerably longer sentences. If this policy remains unchanged, the prison population will continue to rise. 77 references