1971: 17-year-old Kris Gray is sent from Wormwood Scrubs prison, whist on remand, to rural Borstal, a detention centre for young offenders. His sentence: 2 years. Borstal is run by Governor Heywood, an ex-military man with a good heart, and his second in command Len Forshaw who is the opposite; a man with a vicious chip on his shoulder who thinks Borstal boys should be treated like they are in his own little army. Forshaw goes out of his way to prevent Kris from leaving Borstal before his 2 year sentence is complete. Brutal beatings, evil screws, vicious inmates... will Kris survive it and become the man he wants to be?