I was watching the news last night, and it told me about some woman detective from New Jersey whose job is to flit around on AIM all day, chatting to would-be child molesters.
Now, wouldn't it be safe to assume that child molesters would be a bit more careful, knowing that these people are out there? I mean, it's just as easy for a 30 year-old woman to pretend to be a 13 year-old girl as it is for a 30 year-old man to pretend to be a 13 year-old boy.
I don't see how anyone could be stupid enough to attempt to meet a child over the internet -- there's such a large chance that said person would be arrested. And how dumb would the child have to be?
link link
The first is a site that lures adults by posing as children, then posts their info online. Vigilantism for the 21st Century, I guess.
The second is a news station that did an "investigation" with that website in order to catch some of these guys. 16 guys show up to have sex with a 14 year old, only to have the camera meet them at the door.
I'm torn whether I approve or not. What these guys did was terribly wrong, but is exposing them really helping the problem, or just making them more careful?
I think that these very public tactics are working against a solution; as long as these people know how the police are trying to track them, they can find new ways of commiting crimes. If the cops are more discreet, then the criminals would have no idea how they are being traced.
It's like reporting on the news "The police report that the do not currently know the location of the terrorists but they have got the airport cordoned off for the next 24 hours."
Now if I was a terrorist, I'd be watching BBC News 24, saying "Right...we'll wait here for a day then we'll pop to the airport. Hey! James, take that stupid balaclavar off, that's the first thing the police'll be looking for in terrorists! And put that AK-47 down! Stupid boy, haven't you read the 'Basic Guide to Being a Terrorist"?? Read it now!"