The populace and the police: Models of social control in reality‐based crime television

While prior research, popular conceptions, and industry literature treat reality‐based crime television as a homogenous genre of programming, this research highlights considerable intra‐genre diversity. Quantitative and qualitative findings indicate that programs contain considerable ideological diversity, as expressed by contrasting means of pursuing and apprehending malfeasants. A case study shows that Cops establishes and justifies police as the authoritarian agents of criminal control while America's Most Wanted reserves the heroic space for ordinary citizens. As adopters of two different law and order narratives, these programs endorse divergent means of serving justice. While both crime narratives fundamentally are concerned with the archetypal conflict between good and evil, order and disorder, these shows foster distinct imperatives for belief and action.