What do you think of Dateline's To Catch a Predator?

Answer 1

I think its interesting and they are doing a good thing. It never ceases to amaze me how sick some people are. This is like #10 and people who have actually SEEN the show still come to the undercover house. What's really disturbing though is how many of those perverts are out there that don't get caught!

Answer 2

It is a crime.

They solicit these guys to show up to the house so they can arrest the because all they are doing otherwise is talking dirty on the internet.

They ask these guys to come over and when they arrive they say come on in and then they arrest them if they don't confess. When they do confess they arrest them just the same.

The cops sit there and and ask them if they every said this or that , looking at a stack if conversations these people have been having for months.

Let's face it these guys are being landed like swordfish , dragged into the boat and hit in the head with a hammer.

This is what annoys me;

First, it is felony to solicit a felony and that is what is being done here. Sex with a minor is statutory rape. These people are asking people to come rape them.

Second, no crime has transpired with the exception of the times the person sent nude photos of themself over the internet without being asked for them. All you see is a guy being invited into a house by a person of age and then the reporter comes out. When did the person try and have sex with a minor?

and Third, the guys are showing up because teens are supposed to have asked them to come over. The problem there is I find teens on this site doing just that, asking people to have sex. Who is watching these kids? For all the effort put forward to arrest these guys I could clear the internet of teens at risk for less money and end the need for such a show. Parents should not be alarmed that there are pedophiles in the world but rather that there are chidren out there telling these pedophiles where they live. There is nothing in this show to prevent a stalker from attacking children. That is not what the show is all about. They are targeting the stupid deviant who thinks he can find sex on the internet. Great, you arrested an idiot. Now, try arresting a true predator, some one who actually seeks out his prey.

People are being fooled into believing this is justice. The truth is most of these guys confess and get a year and probation. Some walk away clean as the evidence was circumstantial and weak at that. Meanwhile, the children are still talking like casual sex with strangers is okay, and they are still at risk to the guys who come over to your house because they figure out where you live from what you say. A true predator sets up the meeting with the child, not the other way around.

If you really want to catch a predator have parents give the police permission to tap their children's communications and see how many solid leads they get that way. I don't think parents are ready to do that because they are afraid what the police may find, but the crooks they will find then will be the kind of predators children ought to fear.

Answer 3

I wonder if the show exists purely for the ratings. One one hand I think it prevents some internet predators to commit bad crimes, but what about the people that don't get caught and the ones that do get to the young people and get away with it.

when the guy gets caught, do you really need 6 or 7 cops to arrest some poor shmuck who is just gonna lay down and cooperate? I think you only need one or two cops maximum for that job.

I wonder what the actual conviction rate of those people is. And why do they always plead not guilty? Are the cases such that they haven't committed a crime and can then plead not guilty to the judge? I thought about asking a similar question but you beat me to it......That show needs to be more like a soap opera.....fulll of mystery and sun dresses.

Answer 4

I don't think it's doing any good as far as scaring men off, keeping them from doing this.

These guys go to meet what turns out to be the decoy, they get caught by the show, get punished for it, turn right back around and do it again only to get caught by the show again. It's happened.

And then there's guys that talk to the decoy about watching the show, go to the house anyway, get caught and admint that they watch it.

If Dateline thinks they're helping get these guys off the street, they've got another thing coming. It's like a cop catching a person with a small bag of weed thinking he's making a dent in the war on drugs.

Answer 5

I think it's freaky that we watch pedofiles get caught as entertainment. I don't know how the show doesn't get in trouble for entrapment.....
I think that fighting this issue will be most effective when people educate their children on how to keep themselves safe. Parents need to monitor their childrens internet activity.
I think it's good they are catching these people and keeping them away from kids, but their are far more dangerous people out there who aren't being targeted.

Answer 6

I personally love the show. I think it's really funny when they catch the same person 2-3 times in different houses. The show is showing us that people may seem ordinary when you see them, but they are sick disgusting people.

Answer 7

how come they never set up an women on the show... are they saying that only men are pedophiles?
i thought it was a good show at first... but the more i watch, the more i feel like more needs to be done... education for kids on the interenet, therapy for these men that are willing to risk everything for a 13 year old... its a sad situation

Answer 8

Well as a TV show I find it pretty entertaining. The host is always cracking jokes and making the guys look like complete idiots!!

Answer 9

Its great. It was funny the first time but not so much anymore,still good though. Sick people need to be caught and we need to understand that a "sick" person can be your sweet next door neighbor.

Answer 10

its interesting and remember its NOT entrapment
because the Predator started the chats first..
the decoy did not..