Immutable list

gistfile1.java

// Immutable -- returns an unmodifiable List instead
public class SafeStates {
  private final String[] states = new String[] { "Alabama", "Alaska", ... };
  private final List statesAsList 
    = new AbstractList() {
        public Object get(int n) { 
          return states[n];
        }

        public int size() {
          return states.length;
        }
      };
        
  public List getStates() {
    return statesAsList;
  }
}