I was watching the controversial show “To catch a predator” on MSNBC; the idea of the show is wired and at first I thought it was staged but when I searched online I found it authentic yet controversial and has its won opponents.

The idea of the show is to setup a Yahoo or AOL profile of an apparently underage teen (usually 13 years old). The profile is watched until it is hit by an adult; a person from the perverted justice will take over replying and chatting with the adult. If that adult is found seeking sex then he will be asked by the allegedly 13-years old girl to meet at her house who would that adult that she is home alone and that he could come. The program hires youngish looking actresses as decoys to talk on the phone with the predator and to receive him at the door when he comes to the house where the MSNBC crew and police are hiding.
Once he is at home, Chris Hansen from the NBC will show up to the surprise of the predator, Hansen will show a degrading log of that adult’s chat, the disgraceful pictures of his genital everything is being aired to the public with the adults real name, age, and where he works.
Then policemen from the perverted justice will arrest the man who will go into real trial.

There you will see people from all walks of life, educators, religious people, doctors, engineers and even policemen and army veterans. A general attorney was even caught in this show and he shot himself before he was caught. People lost their job and family because of it.

It is very scary, and I agree that preying on a child is a crime and pedophiles deserve execution not just imprisonment. But I do not think the setup and the way they are caught is justifiable or legitimate, I do not think triggering a robber to steal justifies his arrest.

The show website and online video of the series:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16895737/

I have watched this show several times myself. I don't necessary agree with the idea of setting a "fake" profile to capture adults, but then we should think of a better way to capture those perverts. Apparently, online chat rooms are one of the ways these adults try to find a beast to attack. I think anyone who even dare talking to a 13 years old about sexual contents should be judged, so what about really thinking of having sexual relationships with those 13 yrs kids? They deserve punishment, no doubt.

I hope this kinda of programs increase awareness of people, but the strange thing is some of the adults admit that they have watched the program. How stupid of them of even attempting? lol

I do agree with you that the setup is unjustifiable, but what would be the other way to prevent those adult from preying on children? I guess we can think about it as home security alarms, we don't wait for the robber to show, steal our stuff and then set up an alarm system. We should prevent by having security systems when purchasing/building a house.

Just think of how chasing teenagers online is gonna suddenly not sound so good to these sexual predators. lol

I agree with this tactic. If you got dirty little secrets it's ok unless they're breaking the law. Then you can expect to get caught one day or another. How their lives are ruined if their secret gets out is something they should have worried about before, not now.

Name and shame them I say! Expose all the disgusting horny old pedos who disguise themselves as respectable adults we look up to in society.

Hero and Fengy thank you both for your inputs
I totally agree that such a show is a deterrent to those contemplating preying on children, but who is paying the price. I am just not sure if the approach is right and correct, I might not be as taught on those offenders as I should be, I just think of it like leaving money in the street to end up catching a thief.
I even hate Chris Hansen’s disgusting style in interrogating those people, I feel like he is glad and making a success on those people.

Such shows are good in a way that theey raise awarness in the society. However, i dont think that such a method will decrease the number of predators. Lets say if a predator watchs such a programme he will at that moment feel like stopping but the next time he gets online he will forget all about the show. A stronger method is required!!

The strange thing, that just crossed my mind, is how us, the arab, neglect such an important issue. Is it because our society is free of predators? I DONT THINK SO!! I mean i read a lot about predatos in western magazines such as sugar or on the internet but the source is never an arab one!! I think such shows and articles should be brought to the arab society as awarness is important to educate those poor teenagers and their parents!!

such shows will never be come to the Arab World... the most important thing in an Arab is his dignity... having a show like this will kill him... his family... his tribe... country men... and to Islam...

in the end the west will point fingers at is call us pedophiles coz of a few people who were caught and muslim...

i think the shows does help in reducing the number of online pedophiles...

I have been watching the show for over a year. It happened twice that an apparently Muslim predator showed up, one of them had been issued the green card to be admitted to citizenship but after the incidence his green card was revoked and he was sent back to his home country. The majority were White and Hispanic. Rarely if ever did I see an African American. The majority were guys in their 20’s.

In Oman, nothing will work like this. I know of a person who has been caught for child sexual assault and the whole case was concealed for his high profile and he was punished by resigning from his job under pressure.

Announcing such incidences with the offender’s name and identity made clear is the strongest and most powerful deterrent to other people contemplating such an act.

In countries like the United States such offender’s identity is made accessible to the public. If you are skeptical about your new neighbor, you could simply log in to the local police department website and put in his first and last name, his whole profile and past incidences would show up if he had ever been convicted for sexual harassment.

I have mixed feelings about the show.

It is a form of entrapment. These "decoys" are making very provocative suggestions to lure them in, like showing explicit and consentual interest in sex.

Some of them are bad guys of course.

But I also know some these "predators" would never actually assault a woman or young girl on their own, but they just can't resist if a girl makes sexual advances. They are probably really lonely and desperate.

And the police and show know this and exploit it.

But at the same time, what are these morons thinking? They are not thinking with their brains that is for sure.

Of course if the genders were reversed there would be a different standard to judge them by. As we see with female teachers having sexual affairs with teenage male students.

I agree with Jihad4Truth,
Stupid enough is that the show is only broadcast from those states whose law would consent an arrest of a person in such a manner. There many other states whose law would not approve the arrest and so NBC cannot make shows in there.

Wikipedia has a good article that shows the many perspectives of the show:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_catch_a_predator

If you are against this, just think - how would you feel if one of these perverts got hold of your brother / sister / niece / nephew or child. Would you still be against it or would you want the paedophiles caught in any way possible? I know my answer.

AS Kama said, such things won't happen in Arab world for all the above reason, but that donsn't mean we don't have such people, we do have but it's just not accpetable !

I do agree about the idea of the show, but after all if could be one incident that this guy couldn't resist and he got arrested or he thought of trying such thing that he never think of and got arrested for his bad luck in such a celebration !

I think putting one of my relatives there is only comparable if the child started the initiative and was responsive to the pedophile’s approach. Otherwise, the comparison is futile.
I might be wrong anyways; I am just thinking that the whole process must be fully justified. I do not think we can convict people for having the potential to commit a crime without showing a self-motivated attempt at least.
Like in some countries where undercover policewomen invite people for sex in the street and of a person respond then he will immediately be arrested for seeking prostitution!

I am with the show. I believe that a man should not be judged by what he oes but also what he wis willing to do. I mean even if a 13 year old kid started the initiative. the guy should have had the sense to realise that it was wrong, and when a man goes to a house expecting sex with a minor I believe that it is fair to imprison him.

But really I just watch the show for laughs, I mean the way the people act when caught is just hilarious.