G-Man: J. Edgar Hoover and the Making of the American Century

Even as Hoover’s personal and social life became more indulgent, he also used his fame to double down on a public message of strict professionalism and moralism. Surrounded by New Deal liberals, he became a hero to many for his desire to use government power to enforce traditional morality. He attacked the idea of parole as being a gift to criminals, giving them an opportunity to commit more offenses and blaming it for the deaths of his own agents. He rallied populist, tough-on-crime sensibilities against soft-hearted bureaucrats removed from the concerns of ordinary people. As his fame grew, his language concerning criminals, and even defense attorneys, became increasingly harsh and dehumanizing. His public-facing rhetoric on crime coincided with his efforts to build a national academy for the FBI, which he hoped would influence both local and international police departments. Hoover spoke extensively to various civic groups on the horrors of crime and the need for strong families and churches to keep the youth in line. When Hoover encountered a minor obstacle from a senator who objected to a budget increase, he had enough Senate support to overcome the objection. Shortly thereafter he made his first personal arrest, albeit a staged one, of one of the last prominent gangsters who had so far eluded capture.