The media focus on dramatic violent crimes and the violent criminal has fueled citizens' fear of being victimized by violent predators roaming the streets looking for prey. This has in turn prompted politicians to pursue a "tough on crime," "truth in sentencing" philosophy for legislation and corrections policy. One of the best demonstrations of this emerging conservative rhetoric is the construction of super maximum-security institutions and control units within maximum-security institutions. Generally, super-max prisons and control units are draconian places in which inmates are subject to cruel and degrading conditions. They experience forced isolation for 22 or 23 hours per day, and they are often subjected to cold temperatures with only a blanket to keep warm. In addition, the light inside the cell shines brightly for 16 hours a day and then dims for the next 8 hours. What first started as an experiment by using control units within maximum-security facilities has moved to whole penitentiaries built on the solitary-confinement ideal. Not only do super-max prisons violate individual inmate rights, but also the use of these institutions in the United States is in direct violation of international human rights documents that the United States has ratified. The tide of conservatism that has engulfed the United States will not ebb any time soon. Activists who give voice to the super-max inmates appear to be their only hope for humane treatment and opportunities for rehabilitation. 10 references