Moreover, the television show uses the same tactics that law enforcement does when they want to catch sexual predators online. Both law enforcement and the staff of "To Catch a Predator" pretend to be young people. By playing the same game as the sexual predator, police are effectively capturing criminals before they get away with their crimes. Although sneaky, the method of luring sexual predators using their own game is one of the most effective ways of preventing the problem. Knowing they can get easily caught, the sexual predator might think twice before befriending a new child. Using this method of capturing criminals, law enforcement can prevent predators from victimizing young people psychologically, sexually and violently.

Sexual predators should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. In Canada, the law "makes it a criminal offense to use the Internet to lure or exploit children for sexual purposes," (Media Awareness Network). The same laws should exist in the United States, where any attempt to seduce a minor should be treated as a major criminal offense.

Works Cited

Camber, Rebecca. "Arrogant Facebook failing to tackle paedophile threat,'...

9 Apr 2010. Retrieved online April 10, 2010 from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1264609/Facebook-tackling-paedophile-threat-child-protection-expert-claims.html#ixzz0khN214sB
Doctorow, Cory. "Sexual Predators Online: The Real Story." Boing. 2007. Retrieved April 10, 2010 from http://boingboing.net/2007/06/13/sexual-predators-onl.html

Family Watchdog. Website retrieved April 10, 2010 from http://www.familywatchdog.us/

"Internet Predators." Wired Kids. Retrieved April 10, 2010 from http://www.wiredsafety.org/internet_predators/index.html

Media Awareness Network. "Online Predators." Retrieved April 10, 2010 from http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/resources/special_initiatives/wa_resources/wa_shared/backgrounders/online_predators.cfm

Sanchez, Julian. "Study: online sexual predators not like popular perception." 1 Apr 2009. Retrieved April 10, 2010 from http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/04/study-tracks-changing-profile-of-online-sexual-predators.ars

SentryPC. "Shocking Statistics." SentryPC.com. Retrieved April 10, 2010 from http://www.sentrypc.com/statistics.htm