The story of a decent, successful, family man, convicted of murder for killing a burglar after he'd fled the premises, struggling to survive the violent penal system. Transferred, after a set up, to the extremely violent, no holds barred, SHU (23 hours a day in a concrete box, shackles, orders and no warnings) under the control of a corrupt, lieutenant and a ruthless sadistic guard, and with only the humanity of his zen-like multiple murderer cell-mate as comfort, our reluctant hero must learn the rules and how to break them or perish in the attempt.