On-line predators ....how disturbed are you? — Page 2

Inent can be a criminal action. Get over, or move to another ****ing country where you can sit back and allow all the child rape you want.

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I never thought I would say this, but I think zoney is right on this one, chita--it's about intent. It is illegal to meet a kid. It is not illegal to fantasize about anything.

For the record, I'm not a fan of entrapment---especially in terms of things that shouldn't be illegal to begin with (prostitution).

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Jerby - I can agree with you on Prostitution.

I say make it legal, tax and regulate it to make sure condoms are used.

Same with Marijuana - make it legal and regulate it.

Exactly, you want. And I agree that people shouldn't be having sex in public places, but spending tax dollars to catch them (and only men, one should note--straight public sex is more often given a wrist slap) is a waste of money and discrimination.

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"In order for it to be intent, there would have to BE a 13 year old child."

mens rea

n : (law) criminal intent; the thoughts and intentions behind a wrongful act (including knowledge that the act is illegal); often at issue in murder trials


Meaning there doesn't HAVE to be a 13-year-old kid. There has to be a belief that there IS a 13-year-old kid and, even believing this, continuing the intention to commit a wrongful act, KNOWING that it's wrong.

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Updated On: 2/4/06 at 07:14 PM

I'm so sorry, your highness--It is illegal to meet a kid for sex. I thought given the context of this thread that was implied.

And that's where the question does lie: At what point is the intent established? What distance between the person and the youth establishes intent? What specific action? Can the man meet the kid, but decide not to have sex, and no crime has been committed?

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Is that really what the charge was? Is there any offense in "attempted statutory rape" in the States?

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There's an old expression that has been around forever in the field of social service people who work with ex-offenders. And it is: "Don't start none there won't be none." And what that means is, very often you are working with people who have so many strikes against them because of their records (even though OSTENSIBLY their jail time WAS them paying their debt to society) that they can't find housing or employment or very much of anything to help them get reacclimated to life on the outside.

Don't start none, there won't be none means, it's a really good idea not to leave you wallet open on your desk with your office door unlocked while you go to the rest room.

Now, this is not meant to blame the victim of a crime.

But personally, as a tax paying citizen of the United States, I'd much rather see arrests of people who DO commit crimes than to spend money on setting up elaborate ruses for people who, for all we really know (if we're honest about it in spite of the high emotional stakes this scenario calls up) wouldn't be none if the authorities weren't starting none.

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Thanks, ZONEACE. Well, if the charges were "attempted", jrb's question comes up again - "Can the man meet the kid, but decide not to have sex, and no crime has been committed?" What defines an "attempt"?

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It will be for a jury to decide if going to the house, at least one with alchohol in hand, constitutes:

"THAT AN ATTEMPT TO COMMIT A CRIME OCCURS WHERE THE DEFENDANT HAS THE SPECIFIC INTENT TO COMMIT A CRIME AND TAKES A DIRECT, YET INNEFECTUAL, STEP TOWARD THE COMMISSION OF A CRIME"

And, sorry for the caps, they were in the source document.

Namo, I must disagree with you on this one dear. IF the adult initiated the contact with someone with a child's profile online and then suggested and arranged a meeting with the supposed child then they are guilty. When I was younger I would be in chatrooms trying to talk to my friends and I would have people private message me wanted to "cyber" and would try to send nude pictures of themselves and I would not even be talking to them. I have recieved messages via AIM from people that I do not know with the same type solicitations. IF that is what is going on then they ARE predators and they need to be arrested. It might seem unethical, but I really can't be too upset if the predators are contacted by the "child" first. If you say yes then you need help and need to be away from children and not have access to the internet and countless children that are out there without the proper parental observation.

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Namo and Chita - I will agree with you on that point.

This is getting sensationalized.

I just cannot figure out why some of these men sit and talk to the reporters after the realize what has happened.