Mike Mabe is a young man ready to graduate from high school, but ends up in prison instead. Angry and confused, he wants a better life. Given a sentence of over a year, he must learn how to cope with prison while discovering that better life. With the aid of his family and some unlikely relationships, he begins to find that better life. Based on a true story, Mike fights the daily inward and outward battles to avoid prison becoming a permanent part of his future.