Entrapment is a major concern in vice operations

Entrapment is a major concern in vice operations because it can lead to the acquittal of criminals who would otherwise be convicted. Undercover operatives can take a number of steps to avoid being accused of entrapment, including:

• Only target individuals who are already predisposed to commit the crime. This can be done by gathering intelligence on the target's criminal history, conduct, and associations.
• Do not use excessive pressure or coercion to induce the target to commit the crime. The target should be free to walk away at any time.
• Document all interactions with the target. This includes recording conversations, taking notes, and preserving any physical evidence.

The whole concept of entrapment is a complex one. Some people believe that it is never justified for law enforcement to induce someone to commit a crime they would not have otherwise committed. Others believe that entrapment is justified in certain cases, such as when the crime is serious or when the target is a dangerous individual. I believe that the concept of entrapment is a necessary one. Law enforcement should not be able to entrap people into committing crimes just to make an arrest. However, I also believe that entrapment should not be used as a way to let criminals off the hook. If a person is predisposed to commit a crime, law enforcement should be able to use undercover operations to catch them in the act. Here are some examples of cases where entrapment has been successfully used as a defense:

• In 1969, the Supreme Court ruled in Jacobson v. United States that the government had entrapped a man who ordered child pornography from a mail-order catalog. The man had never expressed an interest in child pornography before he was contacted by the undercover agent.
• In 2013, a federal judge in New York acquitted a man of drug charges after ruling that he had been entrapped by an undercover agent who had offered to sell him drugs. The man had told the agent that he was not interested in buying drugs, but the agent persisted in offering them.

These cases show that the courts are willing to set aside convictions if they believe that the defendant was entrapped. Law enforcement officers must be careful not to cross the line between legitimate undercover operations and entrapment.

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