Difference between revisions of "Chris Hansen"
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==Career with NBC and ''To Catch a Predator''== | ==Career with NBC and ''To Catch a Predator''== | ||
| − | Hansen rose to prominence later in his NBC career as the host of ''To Catch a [[Predator]]'' (2004-2008), part of the ''Crime Watch Daily'' division of NBC's ''Dateline'' programming block. Hansen | + | Hansen rose to prominence later in his NBC career as the host of ''To Catch a [[Predator]]'' (2004-2008), part of the ''Crime Watch Daily'' division of NBC's ''Dateline'' programming block. Hansen he worked with the agency Perverted-Justice (who received consulting fees from NBC) to create decoy online chatroom profiles impersonating underage teens (typically aged 12-13 years) and engaging in sexually charged conversations with adults. These men made dates for sex with the decoys, only to arrive at sting houses and be confronted by Hansen before being sent out for their arrests. The series ran for a total of 20 episodes spanning two seasons and covered 12 sting operations across the United States. While the earliest stings caught dozens of predators, the number declined due to the show's growing popularity and would-be predators becoming better at identifying the fake profiles. Consequently, the last sting only caught seven predators. |
Despite the fact that almost all of the men who appeared on the show pled or were found guilty of using the internet to solicit a minor for sex, NBC and Perverted-Justice were accused of entrapment, despite the fact that only law enforcement officers can entrap, and for NBC's paying Perverted Justice a consulting fee. ABC's ''20/20'' criticized this alleged misconduct. Some of the suspects had charges against them dropped because the Perverted-Justice agents impersonating minors were first to bring up sex in conversation. | Despite the fact that almost all of the men who appeared on the show pled or were found guilty of using the internet to solicit a minor for sex, NBC and Perverted-Justice were accused of entrapment, despite the fact that only law enforcement officers can entrap, and for NBC's paying Perverted Justice a consulting fee. ABC's ''20/20'' criticized this alleged misconduct. Some of the suspects had charges against them dropped because the Perverted-Justice agents impersonating minors were first to bring up sex in conversation. | ||
Revision as of 01:24, June 18, 2024
Christopher Edward Hansen (born September 13, 1959 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American television journalist and anti-pedophilia activist, best known for his illustrious 32-year career with NBC from 1981-2013.
Career with NBC and To Catch a Predator
Hansen rose to prominence later in his NBC career as the host of To Catch a Predator (2004-2008), part of the Crime Watch Daily division of NBC's Dateline programming block. Hansen he worked with the agency Perverted-Justice (who received consulting fees from NBC) to create decoy online chatroom profiles impersonating underage teens (typically aged 12-13 years) and engaging in sexually charged conversations with adults. These men made dates for sex with the decoys, only to arrive at sting houses and be confronted by Hansen before being sent out for their arrests. The series ran for a total of 20 episodes spanning two seasons and covered 12 sting operations across the United States. While the earliest stings caught dozens of predators, the number declined due to the show's growing popularity and would-be predators becoming better at identifying the fake profiles. Consequently, the last sting only caught seven predators.
Despite the fact that almost all of the men who appeared on the show pled or were found guilty of using the internet to solicit a minor for sex, NBC and Perverted-Justice were accused of entrapment, despite the fact that only law enforcement officers can entrap, and for NBC's paying Perverted Justice a consulting fee. ABC's 20/20 criticized this alleged misconduct. Some of the suspects had charges against them dropped because the Perverted-Justice agents impersonating minors were first to bring up sex in conversation.
To Catch a Predator lost much of its reputation when suspected predator Bill Conradt went on the run when he found out he had been tricked and committed suicide by gunshot, leading Conradt's surviving sister Patricia to file a wrongful death lawsuit against NBC that was settled outside of court after almost a year for an undisclosed amount. Though Hansen commented that the show had "run its course" when it was cancelled, he has since tried to revive the concept on multiple occasions after his contract with NBC ended.