The host of the show, John Walsh, started it partly due to the 1981 murder of his seven-year-old son, Adam Walsh.
The show expanded its focus to also cover criminals in the War on Terrorism when, on October 12, 2001 an episode aired featuring 22 most wanted terrorists. The show was put together due to a request by US President George W. Bush, who had presented the same list of terrorists to the nation two days earlier.