# I Pit Dateline NBC's "To Catch a Predator" **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 1, 2009, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-dateline-nbcs-to-catch-a-predator/498300 "2009-06-01T01:21:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![zagloba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/977dab/32.png) [@zagloba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zagloba)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-dateline-nbcs-to-catch-a-predator/498300/61 "2009-06-04T02:42:42Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Maybe you could boomark this thread, and review your analysis after your first year in law school. You know, when I saw Stoid’s comment I thought “Wasn’t there a thread where Bricker explained the law in this case?” But until your comment, I didn’t notice that it was **Stoid** , the autodidact who knows more about the law than any lawyer. That’s hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-dateline-nbcs-to-catch-a-predator/498300/62 "2009-06-04T03:04:29Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > If however you think your having sex with someone who is old enough, and she is not, then intent is irrelevant. It is the act. What if you attempt to have sex with a minor who claims they’re 18? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-dateline-nbcs-to-catch-a-predator/498300/63 "2009-06-04T03:48:31Z")
> [@snailboy](#): > > So if an adult has sex with someone a year or two underage who says they’re older than they are and the adult believes them, it shouldn’t be a crime? Is it intent or actions that really matter? I could understand you picking either, but picking both is a crock of shit. (Not saying you have, but I know a lot of people would.) Since I said the guy in the first example was TRYING to commit a crime, then obviously intent is what matters as far as what the person is TRYING to do. There is no question a guy TRYING to fuck a 13 year old is TRYING to commit a crime. The guy in the second example may still be committing a crime, just not necessarily the _same_ crime. I don’t know if “She said she was 18, your honor” is a legal defense or not, so I can’t say if crime was committed. It’s certainly possible that no intent was there, and intent usually _is_ a prerequisite for a crime to have been committed. The attempt to commit a crime, is, in itself a crime. Accidentally committing a crime may or may not be, depending on the circumstances; a crime which is a result of recklessness or lack of ordinary care, for instance – like if you back out of your driveway without looking behind you and you reverse T-bone a police car which just happens to be rolling by. It’s unlikely you’d be charged with assaulting the police, but you could probably be charged with something like reckless driving. I don’t know the exact laws on stat rape, but it may be possible you could escape charges if you showed an ordinary amount of caution and common sense in trying to assertain age, and the prosecutor is satisfied that you neither knew, nor _should_ have known the truth. I’m dubious that taking a someone’s word for it will always be accepted as a credible defense, but I imagine in some cases it’s more credible than others. ---
**Author:** ![snailboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/97f17d/32.png) [@snailboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snailboy)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-dateline-nbcs-to-catch-a-predator/498300/64 "2009-06-05T00:44:08Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > The attempt to commit a crime, is, in itself a crime. Well not always. I’m not going to get a ticket for attempting (and failing) to surpass the speed limit on a motor scooter. I think it has to be a felony for a failed attempt to be illegal. But in the case of this show, the person he’s attempting to sleep with isn’t even a minor. They just pretended to be. So I find it a bit conflicting that you can be punished both for trying to sleep with an adult who pretends to be a minor and sleeping with a minor who pretends to be an adult. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-dateline-nbcs-to-catch-a-predator/498300/65 "2009-06-05T00:50:08Z")
I loved this show. Haven’t seen it in ages. But I loved it. I always felt that they shouldn’t be setting this guys up the way the are. But I enjoyed the results, none the less. My husband and I love the way the decoy always offers sweet tea. Haaa!!! My husband can still crack me up by glancing at a young attractive girl and saying to me, “Sah-WEET! A- TEEEEE!!” ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-dateline-nbcs-to-catch-a-predator/498300/66 "2009-06-05T10:03:59Z")
sorry it took me so long to reply. I can’t seem to stack quotes. > [@Stink\_Fish\_Pot](#): > > So in your world, the state govt. would be required to find out why these guys went to a young teen’s house for sex? How, exactly would they do that? And how in the world would they fix the root of the problem? > > > [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#): > > > > I didn’t say that. Don’t put words in my mouth. I stand corrected. You didn’t actually type the words, but you implied that instead of throwing these guys in jail, we should look for the root cause. I guess I should re-write the sentence as “How would we find out why these guys went to the sting house, and dig out the root of the problem?” > [@Stink\_Fish\_Pot](#): > > So in your world, the state govt. would be required to find out why these guys went to a young teen’s house for sex? How, exactly would they do that? And how in the world would they fix the root of the problem? > > > [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#): > > > > I’m not answering these questions because the question leading up to them wasn’t anything that I said. Fair enough. Well, here are the new questions. Please answer these instead. “How would we find out why these guys went to the sting house, and dig out the root of the problem?” > [@Stink\_Fish\_Pot](#): > > The thought of having Bubba as a roomie in the Big House should be a big enough deterrent. And clearly, these guys know if they get caught, they might get to meet Bubba. And yet they get in their cars anyway. > > > [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#): > > > > Yes exactly. They _do_ get in their cars anyways. So obviously a chance to meet Bubba isn’t doing its supposed job. What I mean by fixing the root of the problem is counseling or therapy of some sort to teach these guys not to act on desires that are illegal. I am by no means a psychiatrist or psychologist, so any and all suggestions I have aren’t likely to be as effective as the possibilities, but it obvious that what we’re doing now (not much) isn’t working. So something different should be applied. Standard operating procedure I thought when it comes to problem solving. If Solution 1 isn’t working, try Solution 2. So, if I understand you correctly, these guys get a “do-over” to screw up, we get to study them to find the root of the problem somehow and fix it so it never happens again. Is that a fair assessment? I don’t see why this behavior against the laws of society should be treated like alcoholism, or anything else that has a built in “let’s find out why” program. This is a crime, and should be treated as such. Now I know we can debate the methods used by NBC, Perverted Justice, over-aged models as lures, etc. and that’s fair game. But the potentially harmful behavior of these over-aged men preparing to perform illegal sex acts on a child need to be addressed behind iron bars. And if this program in any way stops just one perverted jackass from getting his keys and heading out the door, it’s a success in my eyes. Unless of course this whole issue is created out of thin air by NBC for ratings. How big is this problem, anyway? ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-dateline-nbcs-to-catch-a-predator/498300/67 "2009-06-05T12:37:16Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > I think they arrest them outside for the safety of the crew. You never know if one of these guys might pull out a piece or something. There was one guy (a newly hired Alabama small town cop) who drove way the hell across Florida to meet his underaged “date”, and they found a small arsenal of weapons and ammo in his vehicle. Hopefully he was just out to “impress” his new love. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-dateline-nbcs-to-catch-a-predator/498300/68 "2009-06-05T12:54:31Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > I don’t know if “She said she was 18, your honor” is a legal defense or not, so I can’t say if crime was committed. According to several threads I’ve read around here, it is not. Statutory rape is a “strict liability” crime: having sex with a minor, regardless of what hoops they jumped through to prove they were over 18, is a crime. There is absolutely no “she proved to me she was 18” defense. ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-dateline-nbcs-to-catch-a-predator/498300/69 "2009-06-05T19:17:04Z")
**SFP** : I already answered your question: Counseling. Also, I didn’t mean to imply they should go about their daily lives while receiving said counseling. They did break the law and I agree they should do the time warranted. The counseling/therapy should be in addition to jail time. ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-dateline-nbcs-to-catch-a-predator/498300/70 "2009-06-05T19:40:40Z")
My question is, are these guys given an opportunity to have sex with an adult woman that they passed on because they’re pedophiles and only want sex with young girls? Or are these guys who are so desparate to get laid that they’re willing to take a big risk for what appears to be a sure thing? ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-dateline-nbcs-to-catch-a-predator/498300/71 "2009-06-05T19:58:57Z")
> [@Turek](#): > > According to several threads I’ve read around here, it is not. Statutory rape is a “strict liability” crime: having sex with a minor, regardless of what hoops they jumped through to prove they were over 18, is a crime. There is absolutely no “she proved to me she was 18” defense. Howabout Traci Lords? I don’t think any of the actors who did it with her on film when she was a minor, but lying about her age, was ever prosecuted. ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-dateline-nbcs-to-catch-a-predator/498300/72 "2009-06-05T20:28:00Z")
How old was Traci exactly? Age of consent isn’t 18 in all states. Quite frequently it’s lower than people think. Perhaps that has something to do with it? ---
**Author:** ![BlueOhio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/439d5e/32.png) [@BlueOhio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueOhio)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-dateline-nbcs-to-catch-a-predator/498300/73 "2009-06-05T20:35:17Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > I loved this show. Haven’t seen it in ages. But I loved it. I always felt that they shouldn’t be setting this guys up the way the are. But I enjoyed the results, none the less. > > My husband and I love the way the decoy always offers sweet tea. Haaa!!! My husband can still crack me up by glancing at a young attractive girl and saying to me, “Sah-WEET! A- TEEEEE!!” I’ve often thought, watching this show, that Sweet Tea and Mike’s Hard Lemonade are simply avatars in a Good vs Evil knockdown, drag down fight. The creep usually brings a 6 of Mike’s, the decoy always has the tea (or maybe lemonade). ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-dateline-nbcs-to-catch-a-predator/498300/74 "2009-06-05T21:05:02Z")
> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#): > > How old was Traci exactly? Age of consent isn’t 18 in all states. Quite frequently it’s lower than people think. Perhaps that has something to do with it? IIRC she was 16 which makes the act legal in most states but filming of the act and possessing the images illegal (in the US). ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-dateline-nbcs-to-catch-a-predator/498300/75 "2009-06-05T23:38:17Z")
I am still waiting for a pizza delivery guy to get the wrong address and deliver a pizza to the house and get busted as a perv and just keep repeating, “but it’s just a sausage, but it’s just a sausage!” ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-dateline-nbcs-to-catch-a-predator/498300/76 "2009-06-07T07:52:52Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > :eek: > > Wow. > > WOW. > > Please tell us that that was just a symptom of some much deeper problems. And please tell us that the court system saw right through the bullshit. It was. She was molested by her dad and watched it happen with her sisters growing up. I know SURPRISE, SURPRISE. She never went to therapy for it because her dad beat it into her head (sometimes literally) that she was crazy and needed to be committed and put onto therapy drugs. And no. They didn’t. I had to take an anger management class because she said I was prone to fits of rage, an alcohol awareness class to prove I wasn’t an alcoholic like she said I was, and psychosexual exams to prove I wasn’t a rapist and pedophile. This was all on her word, mind you, she had no proof except for porn she found on my computer she ‘lost’. Said porn was the normal (meaning legal) kind. But the State has to OMFG PROTEK TEH CHILDREN and since I’m a male obviously she’s been oppressed. If I didn’t, I would never have seen my kids again. Innocent until proven guilty MY ASS! And KGS, no, I’m not new here, but usually Diogenes’ rants are a bit more, ah, refined I guess? Or maybe I’m just a bit biased in this subject. No, I’m not bitter at all. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-dateline-nbcs-to-catch-a-predator/498300/77 "2009-06-07T19:30:05Z")
They’re sleazebags, sure, but I must confess I have qualms about some of the techniques used to draw them in if they at first prove reluctant to engage in sexual chat. The supposed minor will keep steering the conversation back towards sexual matters if the guy isn’t taking the bait quickly enough. That troubles me a little. (Not that most of these people need any such steering!) ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-dateline-nbcs-to-catch-a-predator/498300/78 "2009-06-07T22:01:17Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > They’re sleazebags, sure, but I must confess I have qualms about some of the techniques used to draw them in if they at first prove reluctant to engage in sexual chat. The supposed minor will keep steering the conversation back towards sexual matters if the guy isn’t taking the bait quickly enough. That troubles me a little. (Not that most of these people need any such steering!) From the FAQ’s at PJ > [@](#): > > We have an official “rules of engagement” that we train contributors in once they are selected. One of those rules is that unless asked to in the chat, always let the male PM you. That way they can’t cry that the “kid” messaged them in IM first, they have to take the first step. Often, just entering a chat room is enough to get 3-10 instant messages at once without having to say anything in the main chat room area. > > We are philosophically against anyone or any organization that contacts people first as underage personas. There is no reason to do that when online predators are so numerous and motivated to contact what they think is a 10-15 year old male or female first. We want predatory threats and we are happy to wait as long as it takes to find them. Sadly, that doesn’t take very long. Standard parts of the tactics are actually the opposite of what you imply. Act uncomfortable, act unsure, express timidity and fear over the idea of leaving the house or meeting a stranger, and dodging meets due to potential parental oversight. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-dateline-nbcs-to-catch-a-predator/498300/79 "2009-06-07T23:05:01Z")
I saw this once, and the “reporter” was dressed in a nice suit. I thought that was hilarious. He should have been a fat, balding middle aged, unshaven guy in greasy clothes. The respectable looking “reporter” is just a hoot. And now, we cut to commercials, because we are really selling soap! As for the perps, I think they get what they deserve. Bed and Breakfast in Isengard!! ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-dateline-nbcs-to-catch-a-predator/498300/80 "2009-06-07T23:06:17Z")
> [@drachillix](#): > > Standard parts of the tactics are actually the opposite of what you imply. There is no torture at Abu Ghraib. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-dateline-nbcs-to-catch-a-predator/498300.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-dateline-nbcs-to-catch-a-predator/498300.md?page=5)