A crusading warden sets out to improve conditions at a reform school.

A gang of boys growing up in the slums is always getting into trouble. One of them, Frankie Warren, has hopes of getting out. His sister Sue is studying shorthand at night and intends to quit her factory job and move to a better area. Before she can do this, the boys argue with their fence, Junkie, and one of them hits Junkie over the head. All the boys are called in front of Judge Clinton, but when they refuse to tell who actually hit Junkie, he sentences them all to the Gatesville reformatory. The reformatory is run by Morgan and head guard Cooper, who are corrupt and violent. They treat the boys like hardened criminals with beatings and bad food. When the new deputy commissioner, Mark Braden, visits the school, he immediately fires some of the guards and Morgan as well, but Cooper convinces him that he is on his side. Braden institutes reforms and is just about to win Frankie over to his side after rescuing one of the boys from a boiler explosion, when Cooper convinces Frankie that Braden is taking advantage of Sue. Cooper makes gang member Spike talk Frankie into escaping, hoping to make Braden look bad. Morgan calls reporters to the prison, where he plans to reveal the escape, but Braden has gotten all the boys back into their beds and Morgan looks like a fool. Cooper and Morgan are arrested for graft. The boys are all on Braden's side by now and are paroled for good behavior. Content in the knowledge that the boys will be placed in trades or in school, Braden and Sue plan their wedding.