Louis Theroux: Among the Sex Offenders

It’s been a long time -too long- since we’ve seen new Louis Theroux documentaries on our screens. At last he is back with three new episodes on BBC Knowledge.

Under the umbrella theme, LA Stories, these feature Theroux as a Brit immersed in the weird ways of Los Angeles. Would we expect anything less?

The first is “Life & Death” the second is “Amongst the Sex Offenders” and the third is “City of Dogs.”

Theroux has looked at the complex world of paedophiles before. Now he revisits the topic from the point of view of rehabilitation with specific reference to a new Californian law that restricts where convicted sex offenders can reside in relation to where children congregate. It’s a law few would argue against but Theroux, as always, is keen to explore the ramifications.

He spends time at a rundown hostel managed by ‘Craig’, who oversees a number of convicted but released males who all wear ankle bracelets. Some of them divulge their past records to Theroux and claim to be on the path to rehabilitation.

Theroux asks that burning question: can convicted sex offenders ever be rehabilitated?

One man speaks frankly about his uncontrollable desire to expose himself -and worse- in front of females. Theroux will challenge him on his arguments in ways that make him re-think his position. It’s Louis, after all -he has a tendency to do that.

One of the most confronting cases is Amy, a former teacher who had an ‘affair’ with a young male pupil. She explains that stresses within her own marriage drove her to committing her crime. She doesn’t excuse her actions, but Theroux views her case with a single victim as different from those of repeated male offenders. Yet the new law impacts on her with the same effect, impacting where she lives, denying her access to her own children, including photos.

But by episode’s end Theroux is challenged further by hearing Craig divulge his own former crimes. Having come to know him, and watching him administer rules against those under his governance, is Louis ready to hear the most heinous of all crimes?

Theroux’s interview style is to never take sides, but to present arguments to his audience by asking the right questions. Of those who dodge his non-combative interrogation, Theroux has a way of forcing them to analyse their answers to great effect. That said, admittedly, there isn’t much room for his trademark irony in this episode.

This is a topic that isn’t exactly escapist viewing. But if society is to protect its innocent and serve justice, it must also strive for rehabilitation.

Negotiating that is part of the challenge.

Louis Theroux‘s LA Stories 9:30pm Monday 13 – Wednesday 15 October on BBC Knowledge.