Aired on 31 Mar 1971 as an ABC Movie of the Week.
A crucial plot element is the fact that the sheriff has never physically disciplined his stepson. When the son steals the police car and the sheriff catches him and in anger slaps him around that action convinces a witness to come forward impressed by the sheriff's conviction in what he believes. Earlier, when the son is upset with the sheriff and calls him a pig his mother slaps him and lectures him stating that his step father has never laid a hand on him.