Wow ... a whole bunch of responses, but not really complete.
I believe that for many adolescents and young adults a therapeutic wilderness program can have great value. While I don't think SUWS "abusive", others may have a different view of what constitutes abuse. Finally, I keep seeing reference to "studies" that purportedly "prove" wilderness (and other programs) ineffective or worse, but have only been directed to a couple that studied a smallish group of atypical, court-adjudicated kids - atypical as in not very similar backgrounds or issues to those whose parents make the placement decision.
All that said, I think 12 is a bit on the young side for wilderness. If he's not especially athletic, that will work against him as well.
You say your son is a "very troubled boy". What are those troubles? What, besides psychiatrist visits (and medication? - which could also be problematic in wilderness), have you done to help? Have you tried working with the local schools to get in-school supports/help or to find an alternative school?
If, in the end, you do decide to use a wilderness program, you should know that there are a few that are costly and largely ineffective, a few that are less costly and sort-of "run of the mill", several excellent but costly and quite varied programs, and a few excellent, low-cost programs for early intervention, not well-developed problems. NONE of these programs are enough in and of themselves. If you haven't figured out what you will do for follow-up, do that first.
For planning purposes - figure that wilderness will cost from $10,000 to $30,000, and a residential therapeutic placement can easily run $5,000+ per month for 9 - 20+ months. Be sure before you start down that road. And, half a good program may well be worse than none.
So, while I disagree with disfunctional presumptions and pseudo-facts, I agree that you've a long way to go first, and what you are considering is not the first, or second, or third choice.