title: Releasing java.util.LinkedList$Entry memory
body: <p>I have an application in which the number of java.util.LinkedList$Entry objects seems to be steadily increasing.  This application contains a method that contains the following code:</p>
  
  <pre><code>    final List&lt;Boolean&gt; correctnessList = new ArrayList&lt;Boolean&gt;();
      final List&lt;Double&gt; discriminationList = new ArrayList&lt;Double&gt;();
      final List&lt;Double&gt; difficultyList = new ArrayList&lt;Double&gt;();
      final List&lt;Double&gt; guessingList = new ArrayList&lt;Double&gt;();
                   .
                   .
                   .
      for (ItemData datum : candidateItemData) {
                        .
                        .
                        .
          correctnessList.add(datum.isCorrect);
          discriminationList.add(iRTParameter.discrimination);
          difficultyList.add(iRTParameter.difficulty);
          guessingList.add(iRTParameter.guessing);
                        .
                        .
                        .
      }
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>The method that contains this code is called many, many times.  And, of course, each time the method returns, the List objects go out of scope, and, presumably, are available for garbage collection.</p>
  
  <p>However, as I said, the number of java.util.LinkedList$Entry objects seems to be steadily increasing.</p>
  
  <p>Have I created a memory leak here?  Should I call some method on the List objects at the end of the method so that the LinkedList$Entry objects can be garbage collected?</p>