I was watching segments of "To Catch a Predator" online, and I came across the transcripts of the chats. Sure, the show is about apprehending potential pedophiles, but the way the Decoy chats online is suspicious. Firstly, it may be a member of the crew, and the way the Decoy tempts her target, is it fair that a show should tempt already sexually harassed men towards a potential meetup, only to be humiliated and arrested?

They willingly agree to meet a minor, alone, after graphically expressing their desire and intent to fuck them. Whatever dateline is doing is the lesser of two evils IMO.

I as just throwing that out there.

However, many dudes actually express restraint when they hear her age, and it's only when she presses further and excites them that they get rapeface.

They have plenty of time to change their mind when they drive over, it's why entrapment charges seldom stick

I think I read somewhere that the chat isn't considered criminal evidence if the would-be child predator doesn't start the sexual advances.

Right, I'm going to throw in my opinion here:
The catching of pedophiles, in my honest opinion, is okay. If it prevents the exploration of a child, it is perfectly moral and right.

HOWEVER:
1) the idea of luring them into such meetings, unless they start the sexual advances (which is not implied by this Decoy, it seems as if the Decoy is the one suggesting the sexual aspect in order to lure them in) seems a bit morally dubious: sure, it's the lesser of two evils, however tempting men into paedophillia so that you can arrest them just seems wrong. It's not the arresting I disagree with, but the convincing them to do the illegal act so as you can arrest them: its like taking a kid who was always on the bad side of life, close to criminal but never actually committing a crime, then having a police officer pretend to be a crime boss convince him to steal something, and then arrest him. It's causing the crime just for the arrest: that doesn't sound like justice to me.
2) Perhaps the most perverse thing that I see in this, (which is really what point 1 stems from) is the fact that they do all this IN ORDER TO MAKE A TELEVISION SHOW.
That just seems like the most sick, voyeuristic thing I can imagine. The fact that they would actually mess with peoples lives, humiliate them in the public eye, just to get a few views?
By all means, do the Decoy thing, lure pedophiles into arrest, but for gods sake, don't record it and then broadcast it across the US.

Thats just my opinion though.

This is like when cops pretend to be drug dealers and arrest people who buy drugs, yet they forget that drug dealing is also a crime. It completely dishonest and hypocritical.

You know what's the best part. Chris Hanson (the host), was caught cheating on his wife.

Quote from Cronos

You know what's the best part. Chris Hanson (the host), was caught cheating on his wife.

yeah, too bad it wasn't full of irony and with an underaged girl

Quote from Preserve

This is like when cops pretend to be drug dealers and arrest people who buy drugs, yet they forget that drug dealing is also a crime. It completely dishonest and hypocritical.

Except those cops aren't actually dealing drugs, so they're not acting like criminals themselves in the process. And yes it's dishonest, but I don't see how that's wrong. "Hello sir, I'm a police officer, would you mind telling me if you're a drug user? I'll have to arrest you if you are, just thought I'd ask" -- that's honest, but fucking stupid. Drug criminalization is a whole other debate, though, I'm not getting into it.

You guys should look up the definition of entrapment, it's pretty clear that TCAP isn't guilty of it.

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Except those cops aren't actually dealing drugs, so they're not acting like criminals themselves in the process. And yes it's dishonest, but I don't see how that's wrong. "Hello sir, I'm a police officer, would you mind telling me if you're a drug user? I'll have to arrest you if you are, just thought I'd ask" -- that's honest, but fucking stupid. Drug criminalization is a whole other debate, though, I'm not getting into it.

I don't really want to get into it that much either, but I will say if they aren't dealing drugs, then no one should get arrested. And those aren't the only two options of asking them nicely or bait them into doing.

You guys should look up the definition of entrapment, it's pretty clear that TCAP isn't guilty of it.

I still don't really agree. You are still somewhat encouraging them to commit the crime, even if they were willing to do it.

I'm not sure if this is what Chimaera meant, but the fact that they were willing to do it is literally exactly why it's *not* entrapment.

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I don't really want to get into it that much either, but I will say if they aren't dealing drugs, then no one should get arrested.

It's about intent. If someone goes up to a cop and intends to purchase illicit drugs, that's criminal behavior and I don't see any problem with arresting someone for it.

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I still don't really agree. You are still somewhat encouraging them to commit the crime, even if they were willing to do it.

They're on public chat rooms having extremely lewd, sexual conversations with minors knowing that they're underaged.

Even if the minor begin the discussion, any sensible person would ignore them once it becomes sexual. Someone who's a little disturbed might cyber, and then end it there.

But these people? They make arrangements to meet an underaged girl at her home, alone, and then go through with it. This isn't an immediate decision they're pressured into. If at any point they were willing to reconsider their actions, they had all the time in the world to change their mind on the drive other there.

I have watched numerous cases where the guy actually changed his mind and turned the car around, or where he got out of the car, but then changed his mind and tried to leave. They were all caught and prosecuted.