All figures pertain exclusively to the United States.
There were also measures affecting specific offenses. The average time served by life-sentence prisoners increased, from 126 months in 1981 to 163 months in 1995. In contrast, in America during the 1980's and continuing into the 1990's, growing emphasis was placed on retribution, deterrence, and incapacitation as major goals of the justice system. One way the change revealed itself was a rising risk of conviction for persons committing crime. Another change was in prison release policies.