Synopsis:
American Sex Offender is an ambitious, groundbreaking, and unprecedented feature-length documentary film that reveals the untold story of hundreds of thousands of America’s most shunned social outcasts: registered “sex offenders”. By creatively interweaving the human stories of real registrants, expert commentary on America’s unjust and inefficient laws, the filmmaker’s personal story, and shocking cases of punishments that don’t fit the crime; the film challenges the fairness and usefulness of the country’s contemporary sex offender laws and registration systems.
Story:
Like lepers of biblical times and 'witches' of 17th century Salem, registered sex offenders are the most despised and shunned social outcasts in America today. The picture that the “sex offender” label paints in the mind of the average citizen, however, is often worlds apart from the reality of what the person has actually done. High-profile child murder tragedies and fear-based media sensationalism have led to undeserved stigma, unfairly cruel punishments, and even reactionary violence against people who never (a) touched or raped anyone, (b) posed any kind of threat to public safety, or (c) fit the typical characterization of a child predator, sociopathic deviant, or violent rapist. American Sex Offender portrays multiple sides of the controversy through interviews with registered sex offenders and their families, victims of sexual abuse, probation officers, legal experts, politicians, activists, psychologists, human sexuality experts, and more. Proponents of the current system argue that it keeps families and children safe by informing the public about dangerous predators. Opponents argue that it fails to distinguish between those who pose an actual threat to society - and the majority who do not. An autobiographical element is woven into the story by filmmaker Kevin Scott Foley, who is himself a registered “sex offender”. He presents the objective facts of his case, describes the setbacks the registry has caused in his personal life, and leaves it to the viewer to make their own conclusions about whether his punishment fit his crime.
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