A powerful and disturbing study of race relations in Australia, State of Shock is based on the true story of Alwyn Peter, who was released on parole in an historic decision by the Queensland Supreme Court because of the oppressive environment on Queensland reserves.

Peter's defence lawyers presented evidence of the impact on the young boy of his family’s forced removal from their traditional lands and argued that Peter had been destroyed by the cancerous conditions on the reserve—racism, violence, drugs, sexual abuse, poor housing, high unemployment, and low cultural and self-esteem.