Unfortunately, no. But that is why we need sting operations like this. We need to catch them BEFORE they rape and torture.
An argument I frequently hear is that law enforcement needs to be able to make an arrest based on mere potential in order to prevent crime.
"-- Once it's established that you can punish people for having mere potential for harm, then it's not a far stretch to enter a system of negative law (where everything is illegal unless specifically allowed) in that area.
Why are prior restraint based laws so bad? On the most basic level because they rob us of Free Will. They set out ot say that if you have a certain weapon, or if you're a certain class of person, then you're going to commit some other, more serious confrontational crime.
It assumes we have no choice as to whether or not to commit the more serious confrontational crime.
It punishes us for having the potential, not the intent, of harming someone else unjustifiably. Because you have the potential to do something wrong then you must be punished for it. It does not matter if you never dreamed of hurting another soul in any way, you will be punished if you possess the capability for it. -- "