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VIGILANTE ENRAPMENT
In my opinion
by Tyler Graf | Opinion editor
PUBLISHED ON 4/3/07 IN Commentary
I generally shy away from criticizing television journalism; there is a traceable amount of elitism to most of these arguments, explicated with an air of superiority by journalists who work in print media. But sometimes criticism is warranted, and this is the case with Dateline NBC's "To Catch a Predator" series, in which nascent pedophiles are ensnared by host Chris Hanson, with the help of the online vigilante Web site Perverted-Justice.
A February 1 Associated Press article about the continuing Dateline series calls it "impact journalism." I beg to differ.
It's a crime against journalism. It makes fascinating television, in a cringe-inducing sort of way, but it manufactures events artificially. More disturbingly, it sets a negative journalistic precedent for all of NBC news, as Dateline's producers, along with host Chris Hanson, have become agents of law enforcement.
It is one thing if a story results in an arrest - investigative journalism is a time-honored tradition. It is something else entirely when journalists act on behalf of law enforcement, for the purpose of reporting or filming the resulting arrest.
Dateline claims that the series acts as a deterrent to pedophiles. Does it? This is unquantifiable, primarily because the quasi-muckrakers at NBC news and the pugilistic pedophile entrappers at Perverted-Justice are not in the business of recording actual events as they occurred; they are in the business of creating events. Anyone who has watched "To Catch a Predator" or visited Perverted-Justice online already knows that these highly stylized entrapments are for entertainment value.
And that is a shame, because the vast majority of child molesters don't find their victims online.
According to the FBI, more than one in five minors are propositioned online by adults. However, according to the Department of Justice, in more than 90 percent of actual child molestation cases, the offender knew the victim personally. The offender might have been a neighbor, a teacher or a family member.
A February 1 Associated Press article about the continuing Dateline series calls it "impact journalism." I beg to differ.
It's a crime against journalism. It makes fascinating television, in a cringe-inducing sort of way, but it manufactures events artificially. More disturbingly, it sets a negative journalistic precedent for all of NBC news, as Dateline's producers, along with host Chris Hanson, have become agents of law enforcement.
It is one thing if a story results in an arrest - investigative journalism is a time-honored tradition. It is something else entirely when journalists act on behalf of law enforcement, for the purpose of reporting or filming the resulting arrest.
Dateline claims that the series acts as a deterrent to pedophiles. Does it? This is unquantifiable, primarily because the quasi-muckrakers at NBC news and the pugilistic pedophile entrappers at Perverted-Justice are not in the business of recording actual events as they occurred; they are in the business of creating events. Anyone who has watched "To Catch a Predator" or visited Perverted-Justice online already knows that these highly stylized entrapments are for entertainment value.
And that is a shame, because the vast majority of child molesters don't find their victims online.
According to the FBI, more than one in five minors are propositioned online by adults. However, according to the Department of Justice, in more than 90 percent of actual child molestation cases, the offender knew the victim personally. The offender might have been a neighbor, a teacher or a family member.
Viewing Comments 1 - 8 of 11
Yo-Yo
posted 4/03/07 @ 1:06 PM PST
entrapment? are you high???? i've seen some of those shows and will tell you that i sure as hell did not see anyone forcing any of those kiddie sex fiends to do what they did. (Continued…)
Sam
posted 4/03/07 @ 6:49 PM PST
Thanks for your critique of Dateline and that sleazy Perverted Justice group. My opinion on the TV series is that it makes a profit off of publicly shaming individuals, and then filming them as they face violence. (Continued…)
Anonymous
posted 4/04/07 @ 4:54 AM PST
Every one of the wannabe pedos who has cried "entrapment" has been found guilty. Perverted-Justice has a 100% conviction rate for a reason.
The rest of your commentary isn't even worth commenting on. (Continued…)
Tom Heimlich
posted 4/04/07 @ 8:14 AM PST
Mr. Tyler Graf has some nerve! And thank God for it!
Dateline's "To Catch a Predator" is predation.
Perverted Justice is just that: not justice, but a perverted form of justice. (Continued…)
Intelec
posted 4/04/07 @ 11:26 AM PST
Um..so you're saying that the child predators caught by law enforcement wouldn't be doing the crime if the children weren't online? Are you saying that these child predators are chatting up minors online for sex/child rape aren't also harming children at home and near areas where they live? They actually are. (Continued…)
Kristi Lybarger
posted 4/04/07 @ 4:12 PM PST
Interesting article and very well written. However it would have been better had there been some actual research done to back up the claims. (Your quote) "he did post the text of the chats and pictures of the man, along with a statement warning other detractors, "This can happen to you. (Continued…)
Bill Davis
posted 8/28/07 @ 10:37 AM PST
"It is one thing if a story results in an arrest - investigative journalism is a time-honored tradition. It is something else entirely when journalists act on behalf of law enforcement, for the purpose of reporting or filming the resulting arrest. (Continued…)
Bill Davis
posted 8/28/07 @ 11:00 AM PST
"However most "detractors" are ignored as they are under a misconception on what Perverted Justice does. Detractors are ignored. Terrorists are dealt with. (Continued…)
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