If you have seen Datelines "To Catch a Predator" do you ?

Question

think that the show baits and traps people or are they doing us a favor and getting scum out in the open?

Some people are really supportive of the show while others say it is entrapment. What is your oppinion?

Answer 1

They are getting scum off the streets and they should do it more and in every city.  The names of each and every person should be put into the newspaper of each person and then maybe some thing could be done to stop this.  also the children that are trying to get the men on the internet, something should happen to them like no internet if they can not tease the nice men  

Answer 2

Pedophiles have sick and disgusting minds that, IMHO, cannot change or be rehabilitated.  Personally, these people that are being "lured" by "children" knew what they were doing was wrong...but because their sick addiction to taking advantage of children in a way no child should ever be used, they don't care what damage they are doing to the community and our country's children.  

IMO, these people should be locked away never to see the light of day again.  Pedophiles that have offended and served time...almost always do it again...and continue to do it again so long as they have the opportunity.

Now I do have to say this though...I do feel bad for men/women that have had sexual relations with very young people that at the time of the incident thought the "child" was of age...but smart adults should be able to tell the difference between children and adults.  Just because someone looks like they are 18 does not mean that their mind is 18.  Get to know someone before you sleep with them!!

Answer 3

When done in a format that people will profit from it, then I would have to say entrapment. But if the police are doing it to stop a problem then I would have to side with them.

Answer 4

Well, it makes for interesting TV, but apparently at least in one county it appears to have made it so that the perps can't be prosecuted. TV is one thing, law enforcement is something else. The problem is when people think they are seeing law enforcement, they aren't.

Answer 5

I think it's a good idea.  There are a lot of adults, male AND female, who prey on young children.  

But I also think today's culture really teases people with that profile.  It sends the wrong message when parents allow their 14 year old girls to dress and act like whores, then act shocked when a pervert tries to engage in sexual activity with them.  

If the parents didn't want their daughter to be a prostitute, why did they allow her to dress like one?  Does it really make any difference whether the john she's having s*x with is also 14, or 28, or 35?  Either way, the parents have promoted her as a w***e, so what did they expect?

And a lot of times it's the girls promoting themselves as whores.  It wouldn't take anyone more than a few seconds to find a profile on MySpace, Facebook, etc., where a 14-year-old girl is providing photos and blog details that advertise herself as a sexual being.

So it's like chumming some ocean waters with hunks of meat and buckets of blood, then allowing your kids to go swimming, then being shocked when a shark bites one of your kids.  Then there are demands to kill all the sharks!  But no one questions whether the sharks would have attacked the kids if not for the feeding frenzy that was offered to them.

So really the show "kills the sharks", but our media is still actively creating the problem, and they get none of the blame.

For once I would like to see an investigative report that takes it to the next level... running a mock "Girls Gone Wild" type of promotion during Spring Break, then seeing how far they could get the girls and guys to go.  Of course, they would stop right before the actual acts and they'd blur their faces, etc., but all the details about what would be filmed would be discussed up front.  And include questions like, "What would your mother and father think of all this?"  Maybe even have some planted young girls among the crowds who promote the fact that everyone is doing this and cite some TV shows like Temptation Island, etc., where loose morals are promoted.

That would really drive home the fact that kids are being brainwashed by the media and that parents are either totally oblivious or intentionally ignorant about it.

They've done some stories on MySpace and Facebook, but they're just on the fringes.  The media itself perpetuates the problem big time, and they get away unscathed.

I also think the people on "To Catch of Predator" have been incredibly lucky.  One of these day they're going to trap a predator who fights back violently.  Perverts are like any other criminal, as unpredictable as wild sharks.

Answer 6

I think its a good show! There alot of gross and scummy guys out there looking to pray on 13/14 yr old girls and boys. Its sad. Im glad that show is on the put people like that in jail...

Answer 7

No I don't think it entrapment because if you look at it like this if you put some CRACK out for people who's going to take it only the f***ing crack heads. So same thing only a child molester would try to get with the child. I love the show and just wish it was on years and years ago so we can catch these pervs before they do any harm.

Answer 8

Yes, it is entrapment. Those guys could easily get off with a good lawyer.

A good defense would be, "I would have never done anything like this, but this person I interacted with, just seemed so mature"

and since the person who lured the predator was an adult trying to lure them- how can you argue with that?

Answer 9

It is my belief that these guys who have are caught doing it on the show, have done this type of thing before. I dont feel sorry for them in the least.  

Answer 10

Yes this is entrapment but so is leaving the keys in a car for a car theift, or chaining up a bycycle,  If people are going to do wrong then so be it, but  the cops should'nt be throwing out the bait to catch a lttle fish.  It's really not a fair fight.

Answer 11

Well, it's certainly very entertaining -they are doing a bit of public-service I think -I suppose that could be open to debate.

Answer 12

I am torn, but I can see that point for sure.

It's sort of like when the cops wait outside a bar, I mean, you KNOW you shouldn't drink and drive of course, but doesn't that sort of tip the scale to their side?....

Answer 13

I think it's doing a favor in most cases, but when the guy changes his mind and doesn't do in, I think that's not right.