Jason Holden has been on thin ice since his mother died. Capping off a burglary and bar fight with a brutal car wreck, the seventeen year old finds himself firmly on the wrong side of the law.

His behavior isn't winning him any points with his father, who happens to be the state governor. So when Governor Holden learns of a program for troubled youth, he jumps at the chance to deal with Jason's outbursts while cementing his position for being tough on crime.

The program is a radical exercise designed to frighten teens from a life of crime. It's called "Scared Straight," and takes...