They each committed cold-blooded acts of murder that could have put them behind bars for years, maybe decades. However, for three Oregon teenagers, a controversial therapy program offers the promise of rehabilitation -- and early release from prison. If successful, this "second chance" program could help straighten out troubled kids and enable them to become productive members of society. But is the potential threat to society worth the risk? The America Undercover documentary TEEN KILLERS: A SECOND CHANCE? examines all sides of this explosive issue when it debuts TUESDAY, NOV. 3 (9:45-10:30 p.m. ET), exclusively on HBO.

Other playdates: Nov. 12 (8:00 p.m.), 18 (11:30 p.m.), 27 (5:15 a.m.) and 30 (12:30 a.m.).

Through case studies of three Oregon teenagers convicted of a particularly vicious murder or murders, this documentary focuses on a groundbreaking program that uses individual and group therapy to get young killers to recognize the magnitude of their crimes and feel remorse, which is seen as the first step toward rehabilitation. Included is footage of emotional therapy sessions attended by the three, each of whom becomes an active participant in discussions and/or reenactments of his own case and those of the other two.

The aim of the therapists is not to help each teenager forget his crime or absolve him of guilt. As therapist Pat Kirby says, "I want all these young men to realize what they've done for the rest of their lives." Each teen is asked to "own up" to his crime, and recognize that he was responsible for taking the life of an innocent victim, and that he inflicted pain on victims and their families.

Each of the youths profiled in TEEN KILLERS: A SECOND CHANCE? is first seen in various stages of denial and confrontation. They are:o Dominic - A withdrawn young man who was in near-total denial when he entered the program, Dominic killed his mother, Mary Jane Holmes, by stabbing her 29 times while on a walk near their home. He was 16. It was a tragic end to what had started out as a love affair between Mary, a single mother, and her infant son. As she wrote in her diaries, Mary adored her only child, and it was clear he loved her too. But theirs was a complicated relationship, and rifts began to show after Mary, seeking a father figure for her son, introduced Dominic to a "big brother" she found through the local YMCA; the man was a child molester who would be convicted in 1995 of multiple counts of child sexual abuse. Mary then married a man who turned out to be an alcoholic; she left him after he trashed their home. Dominic became depressed. Afraid to talk about his problems, his anger built up and finally exploded. Dominic always maintained he had "blacked out" during the stabbing, but in a remarkable role-playing session, he is compelled to reenact his crime precisely. Later, Kirby asks Dominic to imagine that "we made a deal with God" and that he can talk to his mother. With a woman sitting in as his mother, Dominic tearfully apologizes, and promises to make the most of his second chance.

Dan - A sullen youth who claimed Satan gave him the power to "ignore his parents," Dan admits masterminding a vicious "blood-letting" in which two of his friends beat two convenience-store clerks with metal rods (one died and the other was critically injured). Initially showing no remorse, Dan is forced to relive it during an emotional group session in which therapist Orin Bolstad portrays Dan, crying "Die, fucking bitch!" and asking Dan what he felt as the metal rods hit the women's heads over and over. Finally, Dan lunges at Bolstad, and the group restrains him; it is his first sign of emotion. Later, Dan has a face-to-face meeting with Dan Wall, the husband of his dead victim. Wall tells Dan how his wife's murder scarred not only himself but their five-year-old son, who recently tried to stab local boys after being teased about his mom's death. Although Wall refuses to shake Dan's hand at the end of the confrontation, he does tell him, "May God shake your hand someday," reducing an apparently contrite Dan to tears.

Willie - Guilty of killing two and wounding three when he fired a shotgun into a crowd, Willie admits his "bad ass" anger was directed both at himself and his victims. Attempting to force Willie to become accountable for his actions, Kirby tried to get the court to release crime-scene photos to show the teen, with no success. After eight months, he obtains graphic photographs of one of his two dead victims. As Kirby reassures the reluctant youth, saying, "It's going to hurt, but help," Willie finally looks at the photos -- and breaks down. "I thoroughly believe that what changes these young men is experiencing emotions," says Kirby.

As progressive as Oregon's "second chance" program is, there are many unanswered questions about its widespread use. One victim's relative states flatly, "He [Willie] killed two young men - and if he gets rehabilitated, I think it'll be a miracle." As TEEN KILLERS: A SECOND CHANCE? notes, "It will be several years before we know if this controversial program is successful." Dan will be released in 2005, when he is 26; he will have served 12 years. Willie will be released in December 1999, when he turns 21; he will have served 5-1/2 years. Dominic will be released in March 1999, when he turns 21; he will have served 4-1/2 years.

The senior producer of TEEN KILLERS: A SECOND CHANCE? is Larry Badger; co-producer, Jason Rosenfield; executive producer for Oregon Public Broadcasting, Steve Amen; executive in charge of production, John Lindsay. For Home Box Office: supervising producer, Nancy Abraham; co-executive producers, Vince DiPersio and Bill Guttentag; executive producer, Sheila Nevins.