Beginning in the early 2000s, Judges Mark Ciavarella and Michael Conahan exerted a mighty influence over the workings of the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Under their guidance a stern warning aimed at young people spread throughout the county: follow the rules.

A simple misstep could result in severe punishment.

In the post-Columbine era, many believed this type of old-school discipline was just what juveniles needed to stay on the straight and narrow path. However, as more and more kids and teens received shocking sentences for seemingly minor offenses, a disturbing pattern of corruption and lies began to emerge.

With original reporting and extensive new research from Pulitzer Prize finalist Candy J. Cooper, Shackled chronicles the infamous kids-for-cash scandal, where the scales of justice were deliberately tipped to fill prison beds and line the pockets of those sworn to uphold the law.