Chris Hansen

The Great Protector (http://1.bp.blogspot.com)

Christopher Edward Hansen was born on March 6th, 1959 in Lansing, Michigan. However Chris grew up in the Detroit suburbs. As a kid Chris enjoyed watching FBI and police investigations shows, and was inspired to become a journalist. He obtained his bachelors degree in telecommunications from Michigan State University in 1981. Now Chris resides with his wife and children in Connecticut.

Hansen is most known for his work for Dateline NBC. Many reportings include the Columbine shooting, Oklahoma City terrorist attack, child slavery, and the most known To Catch a Predator. To Catch a Predator was a hit series based on sting operations to catch child predators. Police investigators talked to the suspected child predators in online chatrooms. Sexual conversations were introduced, which ultimately lead to an invitation to the "child's" house. When the predator arrived Chris Hansen, would read the conversations back to the men, who would then deny that they ever wrote the sexual references. His famous line "Why don't you take a seat" started all the conversations. Then Hansen would proceed to ask them questions, and get down to the bottom of why they came to the house, and what they were expecting to find. Throughout the TV series many child predators were caught, arrested, and put in jail for their wrongdoings.

The TV series "To catch a predator" opened many eyes for parents, and children. Some parents many not have realized how easy it can be for their child to be talking to an online predator. Teenagers who's parents do not monitor their children's online usage became more aware of the dangers of talking to strangers in chatrooms. The dangers of talking to people who you do not know, and can not physically see make unmonitored internet usage dangerous for children. Usually fake identities are given to children who are being preyed after, which may not have been previously known my children and parents. Without Chris Hansen exploring the dangers of internet usage for children, and making parents more aware of the dangers, many child molesters could have gone undetected.

Mr. Hansen has not only made an impact on my life but many others as well. I was unaware of many of the dangers involved in online usage. Although it may never be possible for all the child predators to be caught, it is good to see that many have been punished for the disgusting deeds they previously intended to perform. I am certain that many people have been inspired to do follow in Chris Hansen's footsteps, and catch and prevent potential child molesters.