To Catch A Predator

If you haven't yet seen this series of reports on Dateline NBC, you must. I've been enthralled with it this Fall. The series is nothing less than shocking, disturbing, and maddening, but it's also not something one can easily turn away from. Watching it, you will see that just about anyone could be an internet predator...by that, I mean your neighbors or people you see around town every day...people you might never suspect. That's what makes it so frightening.

Dateline has some interesting insights and articles on their website about internet predators, such as Where are the female predators? and Is predator an Internet or social problem?

The latest installment in the "To Catch A Predator" series will air this Saturday, November 4th, at 8:00. It is part 2 of Chris Hansen's investigation in Harris County, GA.

Much recognition should also be given to an organization called Perverted Justice who are the ones responsible for making the online contact with these predators and aiding in bringing them to conviction. It seems that some people think "PeeJ" (as they are tagged) use entrapment to catch these predators...but as PeeJ has stated on their site, they do not in fact use entrapment:

"So are the files we post 'entrapment'? No. Not on any level. First, entrapment is a term created and judiciated against law enforcement officials. We are not law enforcement officials. Secondly, these people IM our names first. We don't IM them. They choose to say the things they say, to agree to the things they agree to, and to give their phone number for the verification call."

Today also happens to be "Verizon Cuts the Cord Day" when they will aid PeeJ in shutting down over 40 pedophile websites and organizations by cutting off their streams. To read more about this, as well as to find out more about what Perverted Justice does, take a look at their site.