diff --git a/src/checkstyle/com/puppycrawl/tools/checkstyle/api/Scope.java b/src/checkstyle/com/puppycrawl/tools/checkstyle/api/Scope.java
index 07f08cb1d..6a8c289a8 100644
--- a/src/checkstyle/com/puppycrawl/tools/checkstyle/api/Scope.java
+++ b/src/checkstyle/com/puppycrawl/tools/checkstyle/api/Scope.java
@@ -18,121 +18,39 @@
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 package com.puppycrawl.tools.checkstyle.api;
 
-import com.google.common.collect.Maps;
-import java.io.Serializable;
-import java.util.Map;
-
 /**
  * Represents a Java visibility scope.
  *
- * @author <a href="mailto:lkuehne@users.sourceforge.net">Lars Kühne</a>
+ * @author Lars Kühne
+ * @author Travis Schneeberger
  */
-public final class Scope implements Comparable<Scope>, Serializable
+public enum Scope
 {
-    // Note that although this class might seem to be an
-    // implementation detail, this class has to be public because it
-    // is used as a parameter in GlobalProperties.setJavadocScope()
-
-    /** poor man's enum for nothing scope */
-    private static final int SCOPECODE_NOTHING = 0;
-    /** poor man's enum for public scope */
-    private static final int SCOPECODE_PUBLIC = 1;
-    /** poor man's enum for protected scope */
-    private static final int SCOPECODE_PROTECTED = 2;
-    /** poor man's enum for package scope */
-    private static final int SCOPECODE_PACKAGE = 3;
-    /** poor man's enum for private scope */
-    private static final int SCOPECODE_PRIVATE = 4;
-    /** poor man's enum for anonymous inner class scope */
-    private static final int SCOPECODE_ANONINNER = 5;
-
-    /** none scopename */
-    private static final String SCOPENAME_NOTHING = "nothing";
-    /** public scopename */
-    private static final String SCOPENAME_PUBLIC = "public";
-    /** protected scopename */
-    private static final String SCOPENAME_PROTECTED = "protected";
-    /** package scopename */
-    private static final String SCOPENAME_PACKAGE = "package";
-    /** private scopename */
-    private static final String SCOPENAME_PRIVATE = "private";
-    /** anon inner scopename */
-    private static final String SCOPENAME_ANONINNER = "anoninner";
-
     /** nothing scope. */
-    public static final Scope NOTHING =
-        new Scope(SCOPECODE_NOTHING, SCOPENAME_NOTHING);
-
-    /** public scope. */
-    public static final Scope PUBLIC =
-        new Scope(SCOPECODE_PUBLIC, SCOPENAME_PUBLIC);
-
+    NOTHING,
     /** protected scope. */
-    public static final Scope PROTECTED =
-        new Scope(SCOPECODE_PROTECTED, SCOPENAME_PROTECTED);
-
-    /** package scope. */
-    public static final Scope PACKAGE =
-        new Scope(SCOPECODE_PACKAGE, SCOPENAME_PACKAGE);
-
+    PUBLIC,
+    /** protected scope. */
+    PROTECTED,
+    /** package or default scope. */
+    PACKAGE,
     /** private scope. */
-    public static final Scope PRIVATE =
-        new Scope(SCOPECODE_PRIVATE, SCOPENAME_PRIVATE);
-
-    /** anon inner scope. */
-    public static final Scope ANONINNER =
-        new Scope(SCOPECODE_ANONINNER, SCOPENAME_ANONINNER);
-
-    /** map from scope names to the respective Scope */
-    private static final Map<String, Scope> NAME_TO_SCOPE = Maps.newHashMap();
-    static {
-        NAME_TO_SCOPE.put(SCOPENAME_NOTHING, NOTHING);
-        NAME_TO_SCOPE.put(SCOPENAME_PUBLIC, PUBLIC);
-        NAME_TO_SCOPE.put(SCOPENAME_PROTECTED, PROTECTED);
-        NAME_TO_SCOPE.put(SCOPENAME_PACKAGE, PACKAGE);
-        NAME_TO_SCOPE.put(SCOPENAME_PRIVATE, PRIVATE);
-        NAME_TO_SCOPE.put(SCOPENAME_ANONINNER, ANONINNER);
-    }
-
-    /** the SCOPECODE_XYZ value of this scope. */
-    private final int mCode;
-
-    /** the name of this scope. */
-    private final String mName;
+    PRIVATE,
+    /** anonymous inner scope. */
+    ANONINNER;
 
     @Override
     public String toString()
     {
-        return "Scope[" + mCode + " (" + mName + ")]";
+        return getName();
     }
 
     /**
-     * @return the name of this scope.
+     * @return the name of this severity level.
      */
     public String getName()
     {
-        return mName;
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * {@inheritDoc}
-     */
-    public int compareTo(Scope aObject)
-    {
-        return this.mCode - aObject.mCode;
-    }
-
-    @Override
-    public boolean equals(Object aOther)
-    {
-        // Since this is an Enum class, can do a simple implementation.
-        return (this == aOther);
-    }
-
-    @Override
-    public int hashCode()
-    {
-        return mCode;
+        return name().toLowerCase();
     }
 
     /**
@@ -147,18 +65,6 @@ public final class Scope implements Comparable<Scope>, Serializable
         return (compareTo(aScope) <= 0);
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Creates a new <code>Scope</code> instance.
-     *
-     * @param aCode one of the SCOPECODE_XYZ values.
-     * @param aName one of the SCOPENAME_XYZ values.
-     */
-    private Scope(int aCode, String aName)
-    {
-        mCode = aCode;
-        mName = aName;
-    }
-
     /**
      * Scope factory method.
      *
@@ -167,26 +73,6 @@ public final class Scope implements Comparable<Scope>, Serializable
      */
     public static Scope getInstance(String aScopeName)
     {
-        // TODO: change scope....
-        // canonicalize argument
-        final String scopeName = aScopeName.trim().toLowerCase();
-
-        final Scope retVal = NAME_TO_SCOPE.get(scopeName);
-        if (retVal == null) {
-            throw new IllegalArgumentException(scopeName);
-        }
-        return retVal;
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Ensures that we don't get multiple instances of one Scope
-     * during deserialization. See Section 3.6 of the Java Object
-     * Serialization Specification for details.
-     *
-     * @return the serialization replacement object
-     */
-    private Object readResolve()
-    {
-        return getInstance(mName);
+        return valueOf(Scope.class, aScopeName.trim().toUpperCase());
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/checkstyle/com/puppycrawl/tools/checkstyle/api/SeverityLevel.java b/src/checkstyle/com/puppycrawl/tools/checkstyle/api/SeverityLevel.java
index be18a8bc0..41f5412c6 100755
--- a/src/checkstyle/com/puppycrawl/tools/checkstyle/api/SeverityLevel.java
+++ b/src/checkstyle/com/puppycrawl/tools/checkstyle/api/SeverityLevel.java
@@ -18,76 +18,33 @@
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 package com.puppycrawl.tools.checkstyle.api;
 
-import com.google.common.collect.Maps;
-import java.io.Serializable;
-import java.util.Map;
-
 /**
+ * <p>
  * Severity level for a check violation.
+ * </p>
  * <p>
  * Each violation of an audit check is assigned one of the severity levels
  * defined here.
+ * </p>
  *
  * @author David Schneider
+ * @author Travis Schneeberger
  */
-public final class SeverityLevel implements Comparable<SeverityLevel>,
-        Serializable
+public enum SeverityLevel
 {
-    /**  Numeric value for severity level IGNORE     */
-    private static final int SEVERITYCODE_IGNORE = 10;
-    /**  Numeric value for severity level INFO     */
-    private static final int SEVERITYCODE_INFO = 20;
-    /**  Numeric value for severity level WARNING     */
-    private static final int SEVERITYCODE_WARNING = 30;
-    /**  Numeric value for severity level ERROR     */
-    private static final int SEVERITYCODE_ERROR = 40;
-
-
-    /**  Name for severity level IGNORE */
-    private static final String SEVERITYNAME_IGNORE = "ignore";
-    /**  Name for severity level INFO */
-    private static final String SEVERITYNAME_INFO = "info";
-    /**  Name for severity level WARNING */
-    private static final String SEVERITYNAME_WARNING = "warning";
-    /**  Name for severity level ERROR */
-    private static final String SEVERITYNAME_ERROR = "error";
-
-    /** Severity level: ignore.  This is the lowest severity level.  */
-    public static final SeverityLevel IGNORE =
-        new SeverityLevel(SEVERITYCODE_IGNORE, SEVERITYNAME_IGNORE);
-
-    /** Severity level: informational.  */
-    public static final SeverityLevel INFO =
-        new SeverityLevel(SEVERITYCODE_INFO, SEVERITYNAME_INFO);
-
-    /** Severity level: warning. */
-    public static final SeverityLevel WARNING =
-        new SeverityLevel(SEVERITYCODE_WARNING, SEVERITYNAME_WARNING);
-
-    /** Severity level: error.  This is the highest severity level.  */
-    public static final SeverityLevel ERROR =
-        new SeverityLevel(SEVERITYCODE_ERROR, SEVERITYNAME_ERROR);
-
-    /** map from level names to the respective level */
-    private static final Map<String, SeverityLevel> NAME_TO_LEVEL =
-        Maps.newHashMap();
-    static {
-        NAME_TO_LEVEL.put(SEVERITYNAME_IGNORE, IGNORE);
-        NAME_TO_LEVEL.put(SEVERITYNAME_INFO, INFO);
-        NAME_TO_LEVEL.put(SEVERITYNAME_WARNING, WARNING);
-        NAME_TO_LEVEL.put(SEVERITYNAME_ERROR, ERROR);
-    }
-
-    /** the SEVERITYCODE_XYZ value of this severity level. */
-    private final int mCode;
-
-    /** the name of this severity level. */
-    private final String mName;
+    /** security level ignore. */
+    IGNORE,
+    /** security level info. */
+    INFO,
+    /** security level warning. */
+    WARNING,
+    /** security level error. */
+    ERROR;
 
     @Override
     public String toString()
     {
-        return "Severity[" + mCode + " (" + mName + ")]";
+        return getName();
     }
 
     /**
@@ -95,78 +52,19 @@ public final class SeverityLevel implements Comparable<SeverityLevel>,
      */
     public String getName()
     {
-        return mName;
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * {@inheritDoc}
-     */
-    public int compareTo(SeverityLevel aObject)
-    {
-        return this.mCode - aObject.mCode;
-    }
-
-    @Override
-    public boolean equals(Object aObj)
-    {
-        boolean result = false;
-
-        if ((aObj instanceof SeverityLevel)
-            && (((SeverityLevel) aObj).mCode == this.mCode))
-        {
-            result = true;
-        }
-
-        return result;
-    }
-
-    @Override
-    public int hashCode()
-    {
-        return mCode;
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Creates a new <code>SeverityLevel</code> instance.
-     *
-     * @param aCode one of the SEVERITYCODE_XYZ values.
-     * @param aName one of the SEVERITYNAME_XYZ values.
-     */
-    private SeverityLevel(int aCode, String aName)
-    {
-        mCode = aCode;
-        mName = aName;
+        return name().toLowerCase();
     }
 
     /**
      * SeverityLevel factory method.
      *
-     * @param aSeverityName severity name, such as "ignore", "info", etc.
-     * @return the <code>SeverityLevel</code> associated with
-     *          <code>aSeverityName</code>
+     * @param aSecurityLevelName level name, such as "ignore", "info", etc.
+     * @return the <code>SeverityLevel</code>
+     * associated with <code>aSecurityLevelName</code>
      */
-    public static SeverityLevel getInstance(String aSeverityName)
+    public static SeverityLevel getInstance(String aSecurityLevelName)
     {
-        // canonicalize argument
-        final String severityName = aSeverityName.trim().toLowerCase();
-
-        final SeverityLevel retVal =
-            NAME_TO_LEVEL.get(severityName);
-        if (retVal == null) {
-            throw new IllegalArgumentException(severityName);
-        }
-        return retVal;
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Ensures that we don't get multiple instances of one SeverityLevel
-     * during deserialization. See Section 3.6 of the Java Object
-     * Serialization Specification for details.
-     *
-     * @return the serialization replacement object
-     */
-    private Object readResolve()
-    {
-        return getInstance(mName);
+        return valueOf(SeverityLevel.class, aSecurityLevelName.trim()
+                .toUpperCase());
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/tests/com/puppycrawl/tools/checkstyle/api/AllApiTests.java b/src/tests/com/puppycrawl/tools/checkstyle/api/AllApiTests.java
index 90b1d5f72..cbfa44912 100644
--- a/src/tests/com/puppycrawl/tools/checkstyle/api/AllApiTests.java
+++ b/src/tests/com/puppycrawl/tools/checkstyle/api/AllApiTests.java
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import org.junit.runners.Suite;
 @RunWith(Suite.class)
 @Suite.SuiteClasses( {AbstractViolationReporterTest.class,
     AutomaticBeanTest.class, DetailASTTest.class, ScopeTest.class,
-    TokenTypesTest.class, FastStackTest.class})
+    SeverityLevelTest.class, TokenTypesTest.class, FastStackTest.class})
 public class AllApiTests
 {
 }
diff --git a/src/tests/com/puppycrawl/tools/checkstyle/api/ScopeTest.java b/src/tests/com/puppycrawl/tools/checkstyle/api/ScopeTest.java
index 970dbef04..682b27ca3 100644
--- a/src/tests/com/puppycrawl/tools/checkstyle/api/ScopeTest.java
+++ b/src/tests/com/puppycrawl/tools/checkstyle/api/ScopeTest.java
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package com.puppycrawl.tools.checkstyle.api;
 
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull;
+import static org.junit.Assert.*;
 
 import org.junit.Test;
 
@@ -12,9 +11,86 @@ public class ScopeTest
     {
         final Scope o = Scope.getInstance("public");
         assertNotNull(o);
-        assertEquals("Scope[1 (public)]", o.toString());
+        assertEquals("public", o.toString());
         assertEquals("public", o.getName());
 
         Scope.getInstance("unknown"); // will fail
     }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testMixedCaseSpaces()
+    {
+        Scope.getInstance("NothinG ");
+        Scope.getInstance(" PuBlic");
+        Scope.getInstance(" ProteCted");
+        Scope.getInstance("    PackAge ");
+        Scope.getInstance("privaTe   ");
+        Scope.getInstance("AnonInner");
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testIsInAnonInner()
+    {
+        assertTrue(Scope.NOTHING.isIn(Scope.ANONINNER));
+        assertTrue(Scope.PUBLIC.isIn(Scope.ANONINNER));
+        assertTrue(Scope.PROTECTED.isIn(Scope.ANONINNER));
+        assertTrue(Scope.PACKAGE.isIn(Scope.ANONINNER));
+        assertTrue(Scope.PRIVATE.isIn(Scope.ANONINNER));
+        assertTrue(Scope.ANONINNER.isIn(Scope.ANONINNER));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testIsInPrivate()
+    {
+        assertTrue(Scope.NOTHING.isIn(Scope.PRIVATE));
+        assertTrue(Scope.PUBLIC.isIn(Scope.PRIVATE));
+        assertTrue(Scope.PROTECTED.isIn(Scope.PRIVATE));
+        assertTrue(Scope.PACKAGE.isIn(Scope.PRIVATE));
+        assertTrue(Scope.PRIVATE.isIn(Scope.PRIVATE));
+        assertTrue(!Scope.ANONINNER.isIn(Scope.PRIVATE));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testIsInPackage()
+    {
+        assertTrue(Scope.NOTHING.isIn(Scope.PACKAGE));
+        assertTrue(Scope.PUBLIC.isIn(Scope.PACKAGE));
+        assertTrue(Scope.PROTECTED.isIn(Scope.PACKAGE));
+        assertTrue(Scope.PACKAGE.isIn(Scope.PACKAGE));
+        assertTrue(!Scope.PRIVATE.isIn(Scope.PACKAGE));
+        assertTrue(!Scope.ANONINNER.isIn(Scope.PACKAGE));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testIsInProtected()
+    {
+        assertTrue(Scope.NOTHING.isIn(Scope.PROTECTED));
+        assertTrue(Scope.PUBLIC.isIn(Scope.PROTECTED));
+        assertTrue(Scope.PROTECTED.isIn(Scope.PROTECTED));
+        assertTrue(!Scope.PACKAGE.isIn(Scope.PROTECTED));
+        assertTrue(!Scope.PRIVATE.isIn(Scope.PROTECTED));
+        assertTrue(!Scope.ANONINNER.isIn(Scope.PROTECTED));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testIsInPublic()
+    {
+        assertTrue(Scope.NOTHING.isIn(Scope.PUBLIC));
+        assertTrue(Scope.PUBLIC.isIn(Scope.PUBLIC));
+        assertTrue(!Scope.PROTECTED.isIn(Scope.PUBLIC));
+        assertTrue(!Scope.PACKAGE.isIn(Scope.PUBLIC));
+        assertTrue(!Scope.PRIVATE.isIn(Scope.PUBLIC));
+        assertTrue(!Scope.ANONINNER.isIn(Scope.PUBLIC));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testIsInNothing()
+    {
+        assertTrue(Scope.NOTHING.isIn(Scope.NOTHING));
+        assertTrue(!Scope.PUBLIC.isIn(Scope.NOTHING));
+        assertTrue(!Scope.PROTECTED.isIn(Scope.NOTHING));
+        assertTrue(!Scope.PACKAGE.isIn(Scope.NOTHING));
+        assertTrue(!Scope.PRIVATE.isIn(Scope.NOTHING));
+        assertTrue(!Scope.ANONINNER.isIn(Scope.NOTHING));
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/tests/com/puppycrawl/tools/checkstyle/api/SeverityLevelTest.java b/src/tests/com/puppycrawl/tools/checkstyle/api/SeverityLevelTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..aa7a2ba66
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/tests/com/puppycrawl/tools/checkstyle/api/SeverityLevelTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+package com.puppycrawl.tools.checkstyle.api;
+
+import static org.junit.Assert.*;
+
+import org.junit.Test;
+
+public class SeverityLevelTest
+{
+    @Test(expected = IllegalArgumentException.class)
+    public void testMisc()
+    {
+        final SeverityLevel o = SeverityLevel.getInstance("info");
+        assertNotNull(o);
+        assertEquals("info", o.toString());
+        assertEquals("info", o.getName());
+
+        SeverityLevel.getInstance("unknown"); // will fail
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testMixedCaseSpaces()
+    {
+        SeverityLevel.getInstance("IgnoRe ");
+        SeverityLevel.getInstance(" iNfo");
+        SeverityLevel.getInstance(" WarniNg");
+        SeverityLevel.getInstance("    ERROR ");
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/xdocs/releasenotes.xml b/src/xdocs/releasenotes.xml
index c43a794db..d9d71bcf4 100755
--- a/src/xdocs/releasenotes.xml
+++ b/src/xdocs/releasenotes.xml
@@ -121,6 +121,12 @@
           <i>Updated dependencies</i>: Removed commons-collections; added google collections
           (google-collect-snapshot-20080321.jar); upgraded commons-cli to version 1.1.
         </li>
+        <li>
+          Changed the classes <span class="code">Scope</span> and
+          <span class="code">SeverityLevel</span> to be based on the Java 5
+          <span class="code">Enum</span> class. Used patch #2004776 from Travis
+          Schneeberger.
+        </li>
       </ul>
     </section>