We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Criminal

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is a Sting Operation?

Jessica Ellis
By
Updated: May 16, 2024
Views: 27,104
Share

A sting operation uses deception to catch a criminal in the act. Usually relying on undercover law enforcement officers to act as accomplices or victims, a sting operates with the goal of gathering enough evidence to bring about criminal charges. Though often glorified in movies and television, there is often great controversy over whether a sting operation constitutes entrapment, which is illegal in many regions. More controversial still is a journalistic sting operation, in which reporters attempt to gather and expose criminal information by going undercover.

Not all crimes leave easy trails of evidence behind. Prostitution, for instance, is nearly impossible to prove without direct evidence of money being exchanged for sexual services. A sting operation works by sending credible observers, such as police officers, into a situation where crime is thought to occur. The sting officer must walk a fine line between legitimately setting up a sting and entrapment, which involves coercing or pressuring people who would not ordinarily commit a crime into doing so.

The line between a sting and entrapment is very fuzzy; some countries do not even permit sting operations because of this ethical battlefield. According to the United States Department of Justice, a sting may naturally include situations where undercover agents offer enticements to potential criminals, in effect creating the opportunity for a crime to occur. Whether offering a bribe to a politician constitute a legitimate sting or entrapment may depend entirely on the judge or jury's opinion in any given case. For this reason, stings can sometimes be prohibitively expensive if there is a strong possibility of an entrapment defense.

There are a few basic elements to any sting operation, though a sting may last for minutes or years depending on the situation. Usually, a deception is set up by using undercover agents or other deceptive items, such as a rigged computer sold to a person suspected of illegal hacking. Often, stings focus on a targeted individual or group, such as a mayor suspected of taking bribes or men visiting a particular brothel. Successful stings also tend to end with an arrest or crackdown, where evidence recorded by the operation is enough to warrant an arrest, or the target actually engages in a crime.

Journalistic sting operations may involve all of the elements of a traditional police sting, but are conducted by reporters and are sometimes even more controversial. In the first decade of the 21st century, the United States, United Kingdom, and India were all immersed in serious debate over the implications of journalistic stings on the role of journalism. Critics suggest that journalistic stings are motivated by the desire to increase ratings and gain attention through exclusive stories on exposure. Proponents argue that journalists can sometimes overturn criminal enterprises that police are unable or unwilling to manage, thereby helping to reduce crime.

Share
MyLawQuestions is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Jessica Ellis
By Jessica Ellis
With a B.A. in theater from UCLA and a graduate degree in screenwriting from the American Film Institute, Jessica Ellis brings a unique perspective to her work as a writer for MyLawQuestions. While passionate about drama and film, Jessica enjoys learning and writing about a wide range of topics, creating content that is both informative and engaging for readers.

Related Articles

Discussion Comments
By Melonlity — On Jan 03, 2015

@Melonlity -- I am not sure that having more journalistic sting operations out there would result in the government conspiring with journalists in criminal cases. That tactic has been tried by the government for years (with journalists and other people) and has been sniffed out pretty well by defense lawyers.

In other words, there are protections against such activities. That being the case, journalists wanting to get involved in sting actions probably do want to uncover shady things and sell newspapers. Nothing wrong with doing those things at all. Both of those goals have been exactly the things that have driven reporters and newspapers to break news for years.

By Logicfest — On Jan 03, 2015

@Soulfox -- There could be a number of problems with journalistic stink operations. For one thing, evidence from them can be used in court to convict criminals so long as there is no proof that the journalist was acting as a government agent.

That being the case, you just know some law enforcement officials would pull journalists in to do stink operations and instruct them to deny they are working for the government if caught and questions.

Second, those operations can be dangerous. Criminals tend to protect their enterprises and many will harm or kill people they think are threatening their businesses.

There are some other reasons these are terrible ideas, but I do believe I have made my point.

By Soulfox — On Jan 02, 2015

I would think a journalistic sting would be find and dandy as those can be far more effective at fighting crime than undercover sting operations run by the police. The problem with the police engaging in such operations is that there is only so far they can go before the stink becomes entrapment and evidence gathered during the stink cannot be used in court.

Journalists don't have to observe those limits and any evidence they collect could be used because it wasn't sought by the police. If the overall goal of reducing crime is achieved, then what is the problem?

Jessica Ellis
Jessica Ellis
With a B.A. in theater from UCLA and a graduate degree in screenwriting from the American Film Institute, Jessica Ellis...
Learn more
Share
https://www.mylawquestions.com/what-is-a-sting-operation.htm
Copy this link
MyLawQuestions, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

MyLawQuestions, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.