Question about catching online predators.

[tapfrang]

Hello, I just had a question for you regarding online predators. I was wondering if as a citizen, is it possible to catch online predators, and then contact authorities if there is a legitimate problem? I know there has to be a printout of the conversation with hard evidence of actual illegal activities being requested or deals being made, but I didn't know if it would cause issues in court like some sort of invasion of privacy type of thing, or if I would be able to do something like that. I am going to school for a criminal justice degree with intentions of getting into investigations of that sort, so I wanted to know if there was any way I could take action now as just a regular citizen to get these people off of the internet and away from young children. Thank you

[Citicop]

The TV show, "To Catch a Predator" is getting all kinds of cases thrown out because they weren't going by the book.

Leave the investigations to the pro's. There are plenty of them out there doing just that. You won't help yourself get a spot doing computer crime or sex predator investigations like that any more than you'd get put into the robbery unit because you used to hang outside of a bank with a scanner to "catch bank robbers."

-Citicop.

[Kimble]

The TV show, "To Catch a Predator" is getting all kinds of cases thrown out because they weren't going by the book.

Which is precisely why after the first season or so they started including law enforcement on the show to work the investigation and make sure everything was legally admissible before bringing the target in to speak with the show's host.

As someone who used to work in a unit that investigates child sex crimes I fully appreciate how important this job is, and also how important it is to do them right. Nothing more disgusting than someone abusing and victimizing an innocent child, except perhaps that same person getting off from a criminal conviction due to a legal technicality. If you're seriously want to work these types of cases (and those who work these cases in law enforcement generally have to rotate out after 2-3 years to get their barrings on "normal" life again), either become a cop yourself or seek employment with Perverted Justice, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, or other recognized organizations who work with law enforcement.