About this season
To Catch a Predator is an American reality television series that features hidden camera investigations by the television newsmagazine program Dateline NBC. It was devoted to impersonating underage people and detaining male adults who contacted them over the Internet for sexual liaisons. People were lured to meet with a decoy under the pretense of sexual contact and then confronted. Show host Chris Hansen clarified in an interview with NPR News that these subjects should be labeled as potential sexual predators, and not pedophiles. "Pedophiles have a very specific definition, people who are interested in prepubescent sex," he stated. The series premiered in November 2004, and featured 12 investigations in total held across the United States. The investigations were conducted as undercover sting operations with the help of on-line watchdog group Perverted-Justice. Since the third installment, law enforcement and other officials were also involved, leading to the arrests of most individuals caught. No new episodes have aired since December 2007. NBC affiliates WTMJ in Milwaukee, KSHB in Kansas City and WBRE have also done local versions of To Catch a Predator. Various spin-offs have aired in the same format, including To Catch a Con Man, To Catch an ID Thief, To Catch a Car Thief and To Catch an i-Jacker, which featured iPod thieves. To Catch a Predator is also aired on FX and Crime & Investigation Network in the United Kingdom, the Crime & Investigation Network in Australia and New Zealand and FOX Crime in Portugal.
Episodes (20)
1. Bethpage, Long Island, New York
6.0Aired 11 November 2004 • 60 min
2. Herndon, Fairfax County, Virginia
9.0Aired 4 November 2005 • 60 min
Chris Hansen's report on the dangers of Internet chat rooms for kids includes a hidden-camera investigation and suggestions on how to protect children from online predators.
3. Mira Loma, Riverside County, California
7.0Aired 3 February 2006 • 60 min
Chris Hansen offers a second update to his investigation into online predators and the hazards of Internet chat rooms for children.
4. Greenville, Ohio (1)
7.0Aired 26 April 2006 • 60 min
Chris Hansen travels to Ohio and Florida to file the first in a new series of hidden-camera reports on alleged online sexual predators as part of the ongoing “To Catch a Predator” series.
5. Greenville, Ohio (2)
8.0Aired 3 May 2006 • 60 min
6. Fort Meyers, Florida (1)
9.0Aired 10 May 2006 • 60 min
Chris Hansen's investigation into alleged Internet predators continues.
7. Fort Meyers, Florida (2)
9.0Aired 17 May 2006 • 60 min
Correspondent Chris Hansen's “To Catch a Predator” report on Florida raps up.
8. Fortson, Georgia (1)
8.0Aired 13 September 2006 • 60 min
Chris Hansen journeys to Harris County, Ga., to investigate alleged Internet predators.
9. Fortson, Georgia (2)
9.0Aired 22 September 2006 • 60 min
Chris Hansen presents the second part of his hidden-camera report on alleged Internet predators. His investigation is based in Harris County, Ga.
10. Petaluma, California (1)
8.0Aired 29 September 2006 • 60 min
Chris Hansen journeys to Petaluma, Cal., to continue his hidden-camera investigation into alleged Internet predators.
11. Petaluma, California (2)
9.0Aired 6 October 2006 • 60 min
Chris Hansen's hidden-camera investigation into alleged Internet predators continues in Petaluma, Cal.
12. Long Beach, California (1)
9.0Aired 30 January 2007 • 60 min
Chris Hansen reports on alleged Internet predators in Long Beach, Cal., in Part 1 of his latest “To Catch a Predator” series.
13. Long Beach, California (2)
9.0Aired 6 February 2007 • 60 min
Chris Hansen presents Part 2 of his hidden-camera report on alleged Internet predators in Long Beach, Cal.
14. Murphy, Texas (1)
9.0Aired 13 February 2007 • 60 min
Chris Hansen presents a hidden-camera report on alleged Internet predators based in Murphy, Texas.
15. Murphy, Texas (2)
9.0Aired 20 February 2007 • 60 min
The conclusion of correspondent Chris Hansen's two-part investigation into alleged Internet predators based in Murphy, Texas.
16. Flagler Beach, Florida (1)
10.0Aired 27 February 2007 • 60 min
Chris Hansen investigates alleged Internet predators in a hidden-camera report from Flagler Beach, Fla.
17. Flagler Beach, Florida (2)
9.0Aired 6 March 2007 • 60 min
The conclusion of Chris Hansen's two-part investigation into alleged Internet predators based in Flagler Beach, Fla.
18. Ocean County, New Jersey (1)
10.0Aired 18 July 2007 • 60 min
Chris Hansen investigates alleged Internet predators in a hidden-camera report from Ocean County, N.J.
19. Ocean County, New Jersey (2)
9.0Aired 25 July 2007 • 60 min
The conclusion of Chris Hansen's investigation of alleged Internet predators in Ocean County, N.J.
20. Bowling Green, Kentucky
9.0Aired 28 December 2007 • 60 min
Chris Hansen corners alleged Internet stalkers in Bowling Green, Ky., in the 12th edition of "To Catch a Predator.