Comments by Mark Brush

Comment for "No Brother of Mine"

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A better understanding of an uncomfortable subject

Todd Melby and Diane Richard tackle a subject that no one really wants to talk about. Sex crimes. As this documentary points out, people prosecuted of sex crimes are hit with a broad label that covers many different degrees of offenses (people who are caught urinating in public, or sexually active teens, for example, can be labeled as sex offenders). As we learn, the label carries significant criminal and social consequences. The social consequences can last a lifetime, and the criminal consequences can, at times, stretch the Constitution (see ‘civil commitment’). The most amazing thing about this documentary is that we get to know people who have been prosecuted as sex offenders. Diane and Todd spent years interviewing people – following them from their time in prison through their reintroduction into society. By learning about their histories and their lives, listeners will come to a better understanding of how their perceptions of sex offenders are sometimes simplistic and misinformed. This is a documentary that is sure to spark a conversation about how our society deals with sex crimes.