But is it a good catch?

As a treat for the holiday weekend, MSNBC is having a marathon of "To Catch a Predator." "To Catch a Predator" is a show that lures men into a sting operation with the help of Perverted Justice, by letting the men think that they are meeting an underage person (so far only females) for sex.

Perverted Justice workers create usernames and profiles for underage girls and attempt to catch men who are trolling for sex. These people are very good at what they do. They tout themselves as the "largest and best anti-predator organization online." They have a good track record.

Dateline sets up a house rigged with cameras and Chris Hansen lurking behind curtains, with a barely overage decoy to welcome the men into the house. When the men leave the house they are pounced on by the local LEOs. Some of them cop to it, some of them claim they don't know what's going on. But by virtue of their being there, they all get busted. And, unfortunately for them, most of them are too stupid to shut up. Only a couple get a lawyer, and only a couple invoke their 5th amendment rights.

I am no stranger to child molesters and pedophiles. I've been studying pedophilia for about 4 years. I've read psychological studies and books and criminological studies and books. Despite all of my scholastic efforts, I still have not decided for myself whether I believe pedophilia to be a mental disorder or not- maybe it's another orientation, like homosexuality? I don't know. I may ride this fence forever.

Regardless of my feelings about pedophilia, though, I'm not sure I agree with the premise of "To Catch a Predator," or with organizations like Perverted Justice, or similar units within municipal agencies. It seems like the profiles that are set up are purposefully enticing, so that men who may be struggling with temptation would go over the edge with a little encouragement. I'm not saying that men preying on vulnerable young girls online is ok, or that it's not heinous. Of course, it's heinous. But in these situations, the situations on the show, these men aren't preying on vulnerable girls. They're talking to adults who are posing as kids. Where's the victim? Where's the crime? Does intent matter? Isn't it entrapment?

I understand the desire to "clean up the internet," and I'm not naive enough to say that the only thing that needs to be done is that parents need to watch their kids better. Something needs to happen, yes. But I don't think that entrapment is the answer. If it is entrapment. If pedophilia's actually not an orientation.