In 2006 I wrote a lengthy criticism of To Catch A Predator on my blog. It focused on many issues--but the most critical involved:

a) the failure to indicate what proportion of those engaging the decoy online actually went to his/her "home' for a rendezvous. The show implies that online interaction inevitably leads to meeting, but this is most unlikely, because both sub-teens and adults have to be willing to take that step and in most cases do not.

b)The show reinforces the image of pedophiles as out of control and therefore jail is the only solution. In reality pedophiles can calculate risk in the same way others can and many do not act on their desires, except through porn and online, because of the risks of detection. Finally, therapy can help reduce recidivism in 90% of the cases as Psychiatrist Fred Berlin has shown. His intereview was on the Predator website, at least at one time, but never part of the broadcast. His perspective, as a clinician and, more importantly, a researcher, would weaken the policy implications of the show.

I'm a sociologist at Queens College in NY and hve taught a course on human sexuality for twenty years.

Yeah. Smear NBC before their new season starts. That'll work.

I've been a lawyer for nearly a quarter century, and I handle a lot of litigation involving the sufficiency of evidence and procedural propriety of how it is collected. The big gap in your report is WHY that prosecutor believes the evidence in those 23 cases is tainted (precisely how?). I'd also like to hear the particulars as to why he believes a "jurisdictional problems" exist (sounds like evasive blur-speak to me). Look, the feds (where I work) routinely use private parties (snitches, etc.) as "bait" who ensnare criminals with the fed's nets. I don't see the problem here, and I don't know if I care if a pedophile shoots himself to avoid apprehension and exposure. I call that the best kind of population control (evil-self-elimination). Crimes against children are heinous in and of themselves, and I encourage the Datelines of the world to expose more, not less of it. ABC should investigate here, because all such methods should be freely examined and debugged; but I don't see any hard evidence of wrongdoing on Dateline's part. Please provide more details.

What sort of moron watches something like "Tocatchapredator" anyway?

It's not the first time I've heard of issues with the shows format and tactics. I don't honestly know what to think. I mean they are questionable but at the same time they still do catch heinous individuals and bring to light their behavior that likely wouldn't shown otherwise.

If its within the law and they apparently ask law enforcement for assistance and permission then it is not completely their fault if stings go bad.

I wouldnt blame NBC if the show now went off the air. I'd miss it, but I'd understand.

NBC's DateLine series is a fabulous public service that is directly responsible for bring hundreds of child molesters to justice, and perhaps saving hundreds more children from these animals. What's ABC's contribution to this cause, other than trying to throw rocks at the competition?

I feel bad for this man's family...as I do with all the men caught on this show. However, there needs to be something done about the sexual predators in the world. Dateline has done an amazing job of bringing this horrible subject to light. Everytime something bad happens...someone wants to throw a lawsuit in the mix. Dateline didn't pull the trigger. That man made a decision to end his life, hurt his family and to be a sexual predator! Has anybody thought about the children he may have hurt over the years? I think it's sad when anyone dies...but I don't think anyone should be sued because a coward takes his own life!

A PEDOPHILE IS A PEDOPHILE, IS A PEDOPHILE!!!!!!! THANK G-D DATELINE IS HELPING TO EXPOSE THIS DISGUSTING FACT OF OUR SOCIETY!! I HAVE 6 CHILDREN. I WORRY EVERYDAY ABOUT THEIR SAFETY. WHETHER THEY ARE USING A RESTROOM, ON THEIR SCHOOL BUS, INVOLVED IN AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES, OR AT A FRIENDS HOUSE, WITH THE PARENTS EVEN THERE SUPERVISING. ONE NEVER KNOWS ANYMORE. WE TRY TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN ABOUT SPEAKING TO STRANGERS, USING THE INTERNET, AND IMPROPER TOUCHING. YET, WE DON'T WANT TO INSTILL IN OUR CHILDREN SUCH A STRONG SENSE OF FEAR, THAT THEY WALK AROUND AFRAID OF EVERYTHING AND EVERY PERSON THEY COME IN CONTACT WITH. SOCIETY HAS BECOME A SCARY PLACE TO BE, AND TO RAISE CHILDREN. WHAT IS A PARENT TO DO, OTHER THAN THE ABOVE MENTIONED COMMENTS? THANK YOU DATELINE, CHRIS HANSEN, AND ALL OF THE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN CATCHING THESE SICK INDIVIDUALS.

NBC should not be in the business of police. They are a news reporting organization, not a news maker.

Anything, and I mean ANYTHING that any of us can do to stop these animals from preying on children is okay in my book. If that includes luring them the same way that they lure their victims then so be it. There ought to be an entirely seperate justice system for the monsters that perpetrate crimes against children. Right on Dateline!

To Catch A Predator is a worthwhile program to deter pedophiles from interacting with children. I think the show obviously shows shadenfreude but exposes the predators amongst us. I think it is an obvious deterrent and for that reason some people will not go to chat rooms to meet vulnerable children.
I think it is terrible that someone decided that taking his own life was a better alternative than to deal with his problem in the open but that is a decision the man made at the time. Perhaps he was depressed at the time and didn't see a way to confront the media.
It is a terrible outcome. Perhaps the media did provoke the man's death by pushing the victim to suicide. Perhaps the man was innocent until proven guilty. Whatever the reason, a man died and it is now being discussed because the cost incurred seems less worthy than the expected outcome.

"The repeat rate for these sick people is horrible."

Are you KIDDING me? The recidivism rate for sex offenders is ridiculously low. Much lower than any other crime.

Please, get your facts straight.

If I had to choose between having as neighbors those Perverted Justice chaps or a pedophile, I'd choose the pedophile, and I have kids at home.

Shame on Chris Hansen, the police and NBC. Mr Hansens and his crew don't care about pedophiles, all they care about is publicity.

Let the cops do their job.

Does ABC news support the rights of pedofiles now? We should feel sorry for men who engaged in chat with what they thought were underaged girls? It's okay for an adult to go and try to meet a young girl or boy for sex? These people are FREELY attempting to have sex with kids. One loser took the easy way out. ABC news you make me sick.

Granted the police may have done a sloppy job, however the means justifys the end.
Shine the light on all PREDATORS, and lock their but's up for LIFE. Nothings more important than protecting our youths innocent minds, and bodies.
I have no pity for the predators, regardless of how they are captured.

Iamhappy that nbc is doing the to catch a predator. Maybe cops can start doing their jobs andprotect our children. They sure as hell Didnt protect me

SHAME ON ALL OF YOU -- ABC and the district attorney in Texas especially...these perverts need to be stopped. Good for NBC -- in trying to weed out some of these scumbags. I don't understand what the problem was here...all the other states/cities were run the same and all suspects were prosecuted no problem. They need to get a new DA! These men were clearly there to have sex with children -- they deserve to be punished and as far as I'm concerned the one that killed himself did all of us and the world a favor..perhaps a child or children are safe who otherwise could have ended up abused or dead because of him. Keep up the good work Chris Hansen and NBC !!! Keep wedding out these despicable animals.

I don't think Dateline did anything wrong... the people on the show were speaking to someone they thought was under age... this took time to setup.. weeks not hours. What happened in Murphy was tragic.. but the DA and the Murphy police department could have said stop. Other DA offices in Texas are going to go after the people let go in Murphy.

u guys are unbeleivable. Shame on 20/20 Protect The Children. It slowed people down I'm sure. The cinverstions are disgusting. W hat if is was your children.