Why are people who offend on tv never prosecuted?

[xxnamechangedforthis]

Have just been catching up on my daily fill of reality tv (don't flame me!), and it seems to me that a lot of criminal behaviour filmed during programmes is never reported, eg. Texting whilst driving or underage drinking. AIBU to think that if the camera crew sees criminal activity they should report it?

[IamTitanium]

Why are people who offend on tv never prosecuted?
There are loads of reality police shows where people are prosecuted
Maybe on the other ones they are?

[depecheNO]

I saw one where the camera crew accompanied a teenager who was hiding from the police. Dobbing him in would surely violate whatever agreement they made to get him to allow them into his life and share his perspective, but I still wondered whether he really believed they wouldn't, and whether he even cared.

[HelloItsStillMeFell]

I remember seeing My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding and the teenaged lad driving around in a Range Rover came up against a police road block due to an accident. He obviously desperately wanted to avoid driving past the police (one can only guess at the reasons why) and he did an illegal u-turn and DROVE AROUND A CORNER BY GOING RIGHT OVER THE PAVEMENT to get out the traffic! In a built up area.

No-one seemed to bat an eyelid. It's the same as the way they agree to pixilate all the men's faces because apparently they say their businesses will be damaged if members of the public recognise them as gypsies/ travellers due to the stigma and the stereotyping. Nothing to do with anything else then? Like the fact they drive illegally and career across pavements to avoid coming into contact with the police?

[IamTitanium]

Did the person who was driving the range have his face pixilated?

[HelloItsStillMeFell]

No I don't think he did from memory, and that's what I found odd. Surely if someone is filmed and televised actually in the act of committing a crime then some action would have to be taken?

[xxnamechangedforthis]

Exactly Hello, I just don't get it ??

[Superlovely]

I don't know but sometimes wonder if the gypsy programmes are set up or staged to make them more watchable?

[GlitzAndGigglesx]

I always say this about footballers. Especially Luis Suarez! If you bit someone in the street you'd be arrested. He got a petty match ban

[StarsOfTrackAndField]

Glitz if you wrestled someone to the ground like you would in a rugby match or punched someone in the face as you would in a boxing match, you'd be prosecuted too.

The fact that you're playing a contact sport means there will be physical contact and different standards apply. Obviously Saurez was way out of line, but if everyone who did something whilst playing a sport that was worthy of prosecution if perpetrated by someone on the street, the courts would be full every monday morning.

[DoraGora]

Footballers have been charged with assault for match behaviour (and rightly so.) And, Connor Weetman, a rugby player was also charged last year.

[StarsOfTrackAndField]

Yes, but it is usually when the behaviour is so outrageous, such as Duncan Ferguson's unprovoked headbutt in the 90s that it goes beyond pale.

I was making the point the 'but if you'd done that on the street' argument is a bogus one due to the nature of contact sport.

[IamTitanium]

football is classed as a "limited contact sport", even in contact sports its not allowed to chew a chunk out of your opponents