View Full Version : To catch a predator
Has anyone seen or heard about the American reality TV show called 'to catch a predator'?
Quick brief for those who haven't. Members of the shows production team pose as underage children in internet chat rooms. They work up very sexual conversations with men, and organise a meet up where the man thinks he's gonna get some action.
When the man turns up at the house, the TV's cameras are rolling, and the shows presenter comes out with full transcripts of the internet conversation between the man and the alleged underage child. The men sometimes bring alcohol, johnny's, etc at the the underage's request.
Here is a quick clip of a teacher who went to what he thought was a 13yr old boy in an empty house.
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These men get exposed for what they really are, and you can witness them crumble as they gradually realise that they're getting busted. Police are usually waiting outside to take them in afterwards.
Sick people like this deserve all they get, and I guess it's no different to setting up drug busts. The only thing is what do people think about it being a televised bust?
At the end of the day it's nobodies fault but their own. Makes for great watching though.
Serves them right...
Would probably be classed as entrapment in the UK and they would get away scot free.
keith_d
06-10-10, 02:55 PM
There are some sick f***ers out there, but I'm not convinced that publicly humiliating these sad b*****ds is really entertainment. Maybe that's just my own measure of how low I think society should go.
gruntygiggles
06-10-10, 03:12 PM
Not sure how it would be classed over here, but to be honest, I think that this kind of show is a very valuable tool in the fight against this sort of crime.
I don't like the idea of TV execs and broadcasters becoming detective, judge and jury, but I think that the show, on face value serves some very real and useful purposes:-
Any conviction they get from a show like this is a good thing. It is one less predator able to con his way so easily into abusing someone.
It is another platform with which the message can be got across to parents that these people are out there, in their communities, even teaching in their schools and because of that, if it makes one parent more vigilant and able to stop this happening to their son/daughter, then it is a good thing.
Sometimes the line between journalism for the good of society and journalism for the good of ratings can be so fine that it can't be seen. In cases like this, I don't think it really matters too much. These are people that may never have been caught without this program. Who can put a cost on how valuable that is to the potential future victims?
I personally like the way it was handled. That teacher probably thought he was talking to the kids father and so was no doubt more giving of information than if he had been cuffed and interviewed at a station. He dug his own grave!
There are some sick f***ers out there, but I'm not convinced that publicly humiliating these sad b*****ds is really entertainment. Maybe that's just my own measure of how low I think society should go.
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gruntygiggles
06-10-10, 03:14 PM
There are some sick f***ers out there, but I'm not convinced that publicly humiliating these sad b*****ds is really entertainment. Maybe that's just my own measure of how low I think society should go.
I feel that way too, but as said in my post, I wonder does it really matter when it is a way of catching these people.
Depends on your perception I guess. I see it as being more educational than entertaining. People, no matter how much you read the papers or watch the news normally just get stories or pictures of people like this and so it is "something that will never happen in this town". But a show like this might make people think twice and keep a closer eye on their kids and the people they are talking to.
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These are people that may never have been caught without this program. Who can put a cost on how valuable that is to the potential future victims?
Rather spare the life of a person (as that's what something like this could take) than spare a sick paedo from public humiliation at the expense of some peoples entertainment. Perhaps it's entertaining because it's a relief too see another sicko getting caught, and not necessarily the fact that he's being publicly humiliated - but if that's the cost of catching him then so be it.
BigBaddad
06-10-10, 03:39 PM
Speedplay, you've been warned.
Dave20046
06-10-10, 03:43 PM
It is one less predator able to con his way so easily into abusing someone. !
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Catch_a_Predator
looking into it a bit more it looks like they catch or more likely have a brush with far more than filmed. According to wikipedia in the 3 day operation that caught the teacher linked above another 18 men attended the house. Reads as though only 3 of those saw any consequence.
In the full 1 hour episode you will see at least 12 guys if not more. Not sure about how many face the consequences though, but I guess that is ultimately down to the police after the show.
Dave20046
06-10-10, 03:58 PM
Just read between 04 and 06 they convicted 49 pedos with 200 cases in the pipeline.
Bet the police' stats ain't that good, shame someone has to be making money off it to get a little (well,near enough) justice in the world!
Warthog
06-10-10, 04:29 PM
Its very hard to judge when you can't see what the pretend child was typing in the transcripts. For example, they read out the following bit:
Gay teacher guy: What are you looking for?
Pretend child: A Daddy-boyfriend
Is that not the pretend child being sexual with the "predator"?
I'd be ok with this if they could show that there wasn't any entrapment, that they were just playing an innocent victim, but I get the slight feeling that they engineer this situation a little more than is fair perhaps.
I'd be ok with this if they could show that there wasn't any entrapment, that they were just playing an innocent victim, but I get the slight feeling that they engineer this situation a little more than is fair perhaps.
Fair for whom? An old man who is willing to have sex with a 13year old boy.
Specialone
06-10-10, 04:43 PM
While its good to get these sicko's off the streets, i cant help think its car crash / trash tv, the tv stations couldnt give a rats ass about stopping kids getting abused or worse, they are there for the ratings, end of and its this i dont like.
I also agree about the entrapment side of things, they sound like they are putting words into the pedos mouths.
If the conversation getting sexual was the sole work of the pedo then fair enough, prosecute him, but im on the fence about whether they should be trapped this way.
IMO, pedos have no regard for the law etc anyway, i do believe its an illness which a prison term will not cure, castration is the only way to stop their urges and ive heard a pedo say the same on tv while being interviewed.
Dave20046
06-10-10, 04:54 PM
castration is the only way to stop their urges
Just on hold with MSNBC...
Specialone
06-10-10, 05:30 PM
Just on hold with MSNBC...
??? Confused .com
Dave20046
06-10-10, 05:32 PM
Sorry I'll rephrase
'What a good suggestion for a show' :D
(MSNBC make the catch a predator show)
the_lone_wolf
06-10-10, 05:32 PM
http://i488.photobucket.com/albums/rr243/ktm_wolf/misc/pedobearswear1.jpg
yorkie_chris
06-10-10, 05:35 PM
I'm quite surprised no vigilante groups have popped up to have a go at this and just shot them in the head when they turned up.
Should do it on pay-per-view... nonce deathmatch or something, you'd make a killing :-P
Specialone
06-10-10, 05:38 PM
Sorry I'll rephrase
'What a good suggestion for a show' :D
(MSNBC make the catch a predator show)
Ohhhh, I understand now ;)
northwind
07-10-10, 06:18 PM
Imagine their surprise when they pull in the nets and...
http://amcop.blogspot.com/PREDATOR.jpg
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