Only the Names Have Been Changed: Dragnet, the Police Procedural, and Postwar Culture

The police procedural series Dragnet informed Americans on the criminal justice system and their responsibilities as citizens, becoming a signifier of postwar confidence in government institutions. Claudia Calhoun's book Only the Names Have Been Changed explores how Dragnet's "realistic" storytelling resonated across postwar culture, despite setting aside racial tensions. Dragnet remains a foundational text that taught audiences to see police as everyday heroes, but its lessons have come under scrutiny as Americans seek to redefine the relationship between policing and public safety.

Format: Hardback
Length: 216 pages
Publication date: 31 October 2022
Publisher: University of Texas Press

The police procedural series "Dragnet" played a significant role in shaping American culture and understanding of the criminal justice system during the postwar era. It was a popular entertainment that also served as a publicity vehicle for the Los Angeles Police Department, reflecting the nation's confidence in government institutions. The show's "realistic" storytelling resonated across postwar culture, and its creator, Jack Webb, worked directly with the LAPD to produce a series that would inspire public trust by presenting day-to-day procedural justice rather than shootouts and wild capers. However, this realism also set aside the seething racial tensions of Los Angeles, which have come under scrutiny as Americans increasingly seek to redefine the relationship between policing and public safety. "Dragnet" emerged as a foundational text, teaching audiences to see police as everyday heroes not only on TV but also in daily life. This lesson has come under scrutiny as Americans increasingly seek to redefine the relationship between policing and public safety.

Weight: 452g
Dimension: 161 x 236 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781477325384