Created and Maintained by Ralph A. Weisheit

Rural crime and rural justice are important issues, both in their own right and as a way to better understand crime and justice in general. This site includes selected academic work on the topic, but it also includes more popular sources, including books and film. There is a particular focus on materials since 1990. The materials presented here are not intended to be a complete listing, but a starting point. The list will be continuously updated. If there are items you would like to see included please e-mail me with the information.

Academic Books on Rural Crime and Rural Justice

Barclay, Elaine, Joseph F. Donnermeyer and John Scott (Eds.) (2007). Crime in Rural Australia. Annandale, Australia: Federation Press. An impressive assortment of articles on crime in rural regions of Australia -- a country will vast expanses of rural areas that have for too long been neglected in the study of crime.
Carter, Timothy J., G. Howard Phillips, Joseph F. Donnermeyer, and Todd N. Wurschmidt (Eds.). (1982). Rural Crime: Integrating Research and Prevention. Totowa, NJ: Allenheld, Osmun Publishers. This is among the first edited collections of articles on the issue of rural crime.
Edwards, Ruth W. (Ed.). (1992). Drug Use in Rural American Communities. New York: Haworth Press. This is an edited collection of original articles on rural drug use. An important contribution to this literature.

Haight, Wendy, Teresa Ostler, James Black, and Linda Kingery. (2008). Children of methamphetamine-involved families: The case of rural Illinois. New York: Oxford University Press. This book is based on a series of research studies conducted by the authors with a focus on the child welfare implications of methamphetamine-using parents.

Johnson Eric A. and Eric H. Monkkonen. (eds.) (1996) The Civilization of Crime: Violence in Town & Country Since the Middle Ages. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press. This edited collection shows that historically in such countries as Holland, Sweden and England violence was much higher in both cities and the countryside than in cities today.
Landon, Donald D. (1990). Country Lawyers: The Impact of Context on Professional Practice. New York: Praeger. One of the few studies of rural lawyers this is also a carefully done study with many insights.
Okihoro, Norman P. (1997). Mounties, Moose, and Moonshine. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. A fascinating ethnographic account of "outport crime" in a rural Canadian fishing community, with a particular emphasis on poaching, moonshining, interpersonal crime, vandalism, and crimes by the powerful.
Sims, Victor H. (1990). Small Town and Rural Police. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas. One of the first books to systematically address rural policing. Many of the themes and issues identified in this book continue to be seen ty researchers studing the problem today.
Stock, Catherine McNichol (1996). Rural Radicals: Righteous Rage in the American Grain. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. This book traces the roots of today's anti-government militia groups to even before the American Revolution. A major contribution to the understanding of today's anti-government groups.
Thurman, Quint C. & Edmund F. McGarrell (Eds.). (1997). Community Policing in A Rural Setting. Cincinnati, OH: Anderson Publishing Co. This edited collection of original articles covers a range of issues relevant to community policing in a rural setting.
Websdale, Neil (1998). Rural Woman Battering and the Justice System: An Ethnography Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. This book is based on the author's research in rural Kentucky, utilizing interviews and reflecting a good understanding of rural Kentucky culture.
Weisheit, Ralph A., David N. Falcone, & L. Edward Wells. (2006, 3rd Edition). Crime and Policing in Rural and Small-Town America. Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press. Based on a variety of methods and data sources, this book addresses rural crime, rural policing, rural culture, and the difficult issue of deciding what is meant by the concept "rural."

Trade Books on Rural Crime and Rural Justice

Davidson, Osha Gray (1990) Broken Heartland: The Rise of America's Rural Ghetto. New York: The Free Press. Based on interviews and loaded with background facts, this is an excellent description of how the decline of some rural areas in the midwest can be tied to the rise of the radical right in those areas.
Dyer, Joel (1997) Harvest of Rage: Why Oklahoma City Is Only the Beginning. Boulder, CO: Westview Press. The author builds a strong case that the anti-government groups arising in rural areas were and continue to be fostered by economic troubles in rural areas. There is a particular emphasis on the culture that pervades family farming, arguing that losing a farm is very different from losing other forms of work, and that the resulting rage and hostility can either be turned inward, in the form of suicide, or outward, in the form of anti-government groups.
Greene, Melissa Fay (1991) Praying for Sheetrock. New York: Addison-Wesley. The true story of race, poverty, and policing in a small rural southern town, with a particular emphasis on how the power of the rural southern sheriff changed over time in this Georgia county.
Fisher, Jim (2000) Crimson Stain. New York: Berkeley Books. The story of the only Amish man ever convicted of homicide. The book provides a good description of Amish culture while focusing on the case of a disturbed man who murders his wife.

Hallinan, Joseph T. (2001). Going Up the River: Travels in a Prison Nation. New York: Random House. A look at how prisons impact the mostly small rural communities in which they are sited.
Hemphill, Paul (2000). The Ballad of Little River. New York: The Free Press. In Little River, Alabama, where the population is about half black and half white, there had been little inter-racial violence until 1997 when several inter-racial killings occurred. The book focuses on these killings but does so with a heavy emphasis on the culture and social life of this small rural community.

Imbrie, Ann E. (1993) Spoken in Darkness: Small-Town Murder and a Friendship Beyond Death. New York: Plume. A good examination of how small-town citizens can be tight-knit and the implications of that for justice.
Langrock, Peter (1997) Addison County Justice: Tales from a Vermont Courthouse. Forest Dale, Vermont: Paul S. Eriksson. Peter Langrock has practiced law in Addison County, VT since the early 60s. This book describes some of the more interesting cases he has handled, both as a defense attorney and as a prosecutor. The reader will have to make the connections between these specific cases and broader issues of rural crime and justice. Also, many of the cases seem to focus on the 1960s and 1970s. Nevertheless, it is a useful addition to the literature on rural crime and justice.
MacLean, Harry N. (1988) In Broad Daylight: A Murder in Skidmore, Missouri. New York: Dell Publishing. The true story of a man who, after years of terrorizing citizens of a small town, was killed by them. To this day no one in the community has admitted to taking part or will say what they saw. A striking example of small-town solidarity.
O'Brien, Darcy (1996) Power to Hurt. New York: Harper Collins. The true story of a small-town judge accused of using his position as judge to sexually assault women who worked at the courthouse and who appeared before him in court. His connections in the local community did much to shield him from local prosecution.
Reisner, Marc (1991) Game Wars: The Undercover Pursuit of Wildlife Poachers. New York: Viking Books. The story of how undercover game wardens operate and why their work is important
Swindle, Howard. (1993) Deliberate Indifference. New York: Penguin Books. This is a powerfully told true story of racism and brutality by small-town police in east Texas in the early 1990s.
Williams, Philip C. (1996) From Metropolis to Mayberry: A Lawyer's Guide to Small Town Law Practice. Chicago: American Bar Association. Williams practiced law in several large cities and then set up a small solo practice in a very small town. This is an excellent book, packed with keen observations about small town life. This book is intended for those interested in starting a law practice in a small town, but it has much to say for anyone interested in justice and life in rural America.

Books With Implications for Rural Crime

The books listed here are not rural crime books per se, but deal with important issues that have implications for rural crime and for the nature of rural justice.
Castle, Emery N. (Ed.). (1995). The Changing American Countryside: Rural People and Places. Lawrence, KS: University of Kansas Press. An outstanding, and lengthy, collection of articles covering a wide range of contemporary rural issues.
Caudill, Harry M. (1962). Night Comes to the Cumberlands: A Biography of a Depressed Area. Boston: Little, Brown & Company. A classic description of life amidst the poverty of Appalachian Kentucky.
Kidder, Tracy (1999). Home Town. New York: Random House. This Pulitzer Prize winning author turns his sights to life in a small western Massachusetts town, including an insightful look at crime and policing there. A town of 30,000 may not fit everyone's definition of rural, but the book has much to inform anyone interested in small-town issues.
Kitchen, Dennis (1995). Our Smallest Towns: Big Falls, Blue Eye, Bonanza, & Beyond. San Francisco: Chronicle Books. A collection of photographs taken in some of the smallest towns in America, some with fewer than 10 residents. There is also a brief description of the community with each photograph. A very nice visual tour through some of the most rural parts of America.
Klinkenborg, Verlyn (2004). The Rural Life. New York: Back Bay Books. This is a collection of essays about rural life written by the author, who is on the editorial board of the New York Times, where these essays were originally published.
Lyson, Thomas and William W. Falk (Eds.). (1993). Forgotten Places: Uneven Development in Rural America. Lawrence, KS: University of Kansas Press. A very good description of the poorest rural areas in America, with an emphasis on the diversity of circumstances among these areas.
Ricketts, Thomas C., III (1999). Rural Health in the United States. New York, Oxford University Press. This book includes another very good discussion of the various ways of measuring rural, with a particular emphasis on how different empirical indicators might lead to very different conclusions about rural. While the general focus is on rural health, there are many direct implications for rural crime and rural justice.
Salamon, Sonya (2003) Newcomers to Old Towns: Suburbanization of the Heartland. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. A fascinating study of six very different rural communities and their adaptation to declining farm populations and the invasion of outsiders seeking the pastoral life.
Salant, Priscilla and Anita J. Waller (1995). Guide to Rural Data. (Revised Edition). Washington, D.C.: Island Press. This is an excellent collection of information about rural data, including an overview of the various ways that the Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Agriculture define such terms as rural and non-metropolitan. A great resource for any researcher.
Stull, Donald D., Michael J. Broadway, & David Griffith (Eds.). (1995). Any Way You Cut It: Meat Processing and Small-Town America. Lawrence, KS: University of Kansas Press. A powerful description and analysis of how large modern meat packing companies have an impact on the very small communities into which they move.
Wood, Richard E. (2008) Survival of Rural America: Small Victories and Bitter Harvests. University Press of Kansas. The author travels through rural Kansas observing first hand the changes through which rural commuities in the plains are changing.

Films About Rural Crime and Justice

Dadetown (1995). A powerful "meta-documentary" about a small town torn by the demise of an established industry. Cash-strapped locals also clash with upper-middle class workers at a new technology company. Perhaps most stunning is what is revealed in the credits at the end of the film -- don't miss them!
Affliction (1997). Nick Nolte plays Wade Whitehouse, a part-time police officer in a small New Hampshire town. When not policing he works for the county doing such things as plowing snow from the roads. The empahsis is on how Wade's early family life with an abusive father has shaped him, but there are also many dimensions of rural life and rural policing covered in the story. It is also a beautifully photographed film.

Lone Star (1996). A modern western that illustrates being a sheriff in a rural county, and the connections among citizens and between citizens and the police. Through flashbacks we are given a glimpse of three sheriffs in the county, each representing a very different style of policing. A John Sales film nominated for an academy award for its screenplay.
Brothers Keeper (1992). A documentary about four brothers in upstate New York. One of the brothers is killed by another and the question is whether it was an accident or murder. Excellent portrayal of community solidarity and of the contempt that rural citiens often feel for "experts" from the state.
A Perfect World (1994). Kevin Costner and Clint Eastwood star in this film about a convict on the run (Costner) from the police in rural Texas.

Other Links of Interest

The Journal of Southern Rural Sociology: (Volume 23, Number 2, 2008). This special issue focuses on rural crime.
National Center on Rural Justice & Crime Prevention: Housed at Clemson University, the National Center on Crime Prevention "focuses on research, education, technical assistance, and information dissemination, with financial support from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, U.S. Department of Justice.
Daily Yonder: This site describes itself as "a daily multi-media source of news, commentary, research, and features."

Rural Information Resources: A U.S. Department of Agriculture page with links to a variety of sources relevant to rural issues in general. Particularly useful is the site providing county codes and data related to rural www.econ.ag.gov/briefing/rural/data/index.htm

Federal Office of Rural Health Policy: An excellent resource for information regarding rural health issues. Their "Publications" section also includes a document discussing how rural might be defined and a document discussing issues in delivering health care to rural children.

RuralPSYCH: Described as a resource center for rural behavioral health, this web page was developed by the American Psychological Association's Office of Rural Health and the APA Computer Office. It is designed to assist psychologists working in rural areas by helping them overcome professional isolation and the lack of current treatment information. Although not specifically focused on crime issues, it does include materials related to rural crime.

No Place to Hide: Substance Abuse in Mid-Size Cities and Rural America: This is a report, summarized on this page but also downloadable from a button on this page, prepared by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. The report utilizes data from a variety of sources to argue that substance abuse rates in rural areas are higher than urban rates. The report also provides a wealth of citations to research and publications related to rural health and rural substance abuse.

Crime and Violence in Rural Communities: An essay by Joseph Donnermeyer posted in March of 1995.

The Context of Rising Rates of Rural Violence and Substance Abuse: An essay by Darly Hobbs posted in March of 1995.

Urban and Rural Offender Processing Differences in Alaska: A brief essay by Allan R. Barnes about the handling of criminal cases in rural Alaska. (no date given, but it appears to have been posted in August 1989)
Rural Law Enforcement Technology Institute: Conducts seminars and training sessions on issues of importance to rural police.

Ralph A. Weisheit's Home Page

ISU's Home Page

(Last Modified: 04/01/09)


	Created and Maintained by Ralph A. Weisheit

	Rural crime and rural justice are important issues, both in their own right and as a way to better understand crime and justice in general. This site includes selected academic work on the topic, but it also includes more popular sources, including books and film. There is a particular focus on materials since 1990. The materials presented here are not intended to be a complete listing, but a starting point. The list will be continuously updated. If there are items you would like to see included please e-mail me with the information.



	Academic Books on Rural Crime and Rural Justice

	Barclay, Elaine, Joseph F. Donnermeyer and John Scott (Eds.) (2007). Crime in Rural Australia. Annandale, Australia: Federation Press. An impressive assortment of articles on crime in rural regions of Australia -- a country will vast expanses of rural areas that have for too long been neglected in the study of crime. Carter, Timothy J., G. Howard Phillips, Joseph F. Donnermeyer, and Todd N. Wurschmidt (Eds.). (1982). Rural Crime: Integrating Research and Prevention. Totowa, NJ: Allenheld, Osmun Publishers. This is among the first edited collections of articles on the issue of rural crime. Edwards, Ruth W. (Ed.). (1992). Drug Use in Rural American Communities. New York: Haworth Press. This is an edited collection of original articles on rural drug use. An important contribution to this literature. Haight, Wendy, Teresa Ostler, James Black, and Linda Kingery. (2008). Children of methamphetamine-involved families: The case of rural Illinois. New York: Oxford University Press. This book is based on a series of research studies conducted by the authors with a focus on the child welfare implications of methamphetamine-using parents. Johnson Eric A. and Eric H. Monkkonen. (eds.) (1996) The Civilization of Crime: Violence in Town & Country Since the Middle Ages. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press. This edited collection shows that historically in such countries as Holland, Sweden and England violence was much higher in both cities and the countryside than in cities today. Landon, Donald D. (1990). Country Lawyers: The Impact of Context on Professional Practice. New York: Praeger. One of the few studies of rural lawyers this is also a carefully done study with many insights. Okihoro, Norman P. (1997). Mounties, Moose, and Moonshine. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. A fascinating ethnographic account of "outport crime" in a rural Canadian fishing community, with a particular emphasis on poaching, moonshining, interpersonal crime, vandalism, and crimes by the powerful. Sims, Victor H. (1990). Small Town and Rural Police. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas. One of the first books to systematically address rural policing. Many of the themes and issues identified in this book continue to be seen ty researchers studing the problem today. Stock, Catherine McNichol (1996). Rural Radicals: Righteous Rage in the American Grain. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. This book traces the roots of today's anti-government militia groups to even before the American Revolution. A major contribution to the understanding of today's anti-government groups. Thurman, Quint C. & Edmund F. McGarrell (Eds.). (1997). Community Policing in A Rural Setting. Cincinnati, OH: Anderson Publishing Co. This edited collection of original articles covers a range of issues relevant to community policing in a rural setting. Websdale, Neil (1998). Rural Woman Battering and the Justice System: An Ethnography Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. This book is based on the author's research in rural Kentucky, utilizing interviews and reflecting a good understanding of rural Kentucky culture. Weisheit, Ralph A., David N. Falcone, & L. Edward Wells. (2006, 3rd Edition). Crime and Policing in Rural and Small-Town America. Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press. Based on a variety of methods and data sources, this book addresses rural crime, rural policing, rural culture, and the difficult issue of deciding what is meant by the concept "rural."



	Trade Books on Rural Crime and Rural Justice
	Davidson, Osha Gray (1990) Broken Heartland: The Rise of America's Rural Ghetto. New York: The Free Press. Based on interviews and loaded with background facts, this is an excellent description of how the decline of some rural areas in the midwest can be tied to the rise of the radical right in those areas. Dyer, Joel (1997) Harvest of Rage: Why Oklahoma City Is Only the Beginning. Boulder, CO: Westview Press. The author builds a strong case that the anti-government groups arising in rural areas were and continue to be fostered by economic troubles in rural areas. There is a particular emphasis on the culture that pervades family farming, arguing that losing a farm is very different from losing other forms of work, and that the resulting rage and hostility can either be turned inward, in the form of suicide, or outward, in the form of anti-government groups. Greene, Melissa Fay (1991) Praying for Sheetrock. New York: Addison-Wesley. The true story of race, poverty, and policing in a small rural southern town, with a particular emphasis on how the power of the rural southern sheriff changed over time in this Georgia county. Fisher, Jim (2000) Crimson Stain. New York: Berkeley Books. The story of the only Amish man ever convicted of homicide. The book provides a good description of Amish culture while focusing on the case of a disturbed man who murders his wife. Hallinan, Joseph T. (2001). Going Up the River: Travels in a Prison Nation. New York: Random House. A look at how prisons impact the mostly small rural communities in which they are sited. Hemphill, Paul (2000). The Ballad of Little River. New York: The Free Press. In Little River, Alabama, where the population is about half black and half white, there had been little inter-racial violence until 1997 when several inter-racial killings occurred. The book focuses on these killings but does so with a heavy emphasis on the culture and social life of this small rural community. Imbrie, Ann E. (1993) Spoken in Darkness: Small-Town Murder and a Friendship Beyond Death. New York: Plume. A good examination of how small-town citizens can be tight-knit and the implications of that for justice. Langrock, Peter (1997) Addison County Justice: Tales from a Vermont Courthouse. Forest Dale, Vermont: Paul S. Eriksson. Peter Langrock has practiced law in Addison County, VT since the early 60s. This book describes some of the more interesting cases he has handled, both as a defense attorney and as a prosecutor. The reader will have to make the connections between these specific cases and broader issues of rural crime and justice. Also, many of the cases seem to focus on the 1960s and 1970s. Nevertheless, it is a useful addition to the literature on rural crime and justice. MacLean, Harry N. (1988) In Broad Daylight: A Murder in Skidmore, Missouri. New York: Dell Publishing. The true story of a man who, after years of terrorizing citizens of a small town, was killed by them. To this day no one in the community has admitted to taking part or will say what they saw. A striking example of small-town solidarity. O'Brien, Darcy (1996) Power to Hurt. New York: Harper Collins. The true story of a small-town judge accused of using his position as judge to sexually assault women who worked at the courthouse and who appeared before him in court. His connections in the local community did much to shield him from local prosecution. Reisner, Marc (1991) Game Wars: The Undercover Pursuit of Wildlife Poachers. New York: Viking Books. The story of how undercover game wardens operate and why their work is important Swindle, Howard. (1993) Deliberate Indifference. New York: Penguin Books. This is a powerfully told true story of racism and brutality by small-town police in east Texas in the early 1990s. Williams, Philip C. (1996) From Metropolis to Mayberry: A Lawyer's Guide to Small Town Law Practice. Chicago: American Bar Association. Williams practiced law in several large cities and then set up a small solo practice in a very small town. This is an excellent book, packed with keen observations about small town life. This book is intended for those interested in starting a law practice in a small town, but it has much to say for anyone interested in justice and life in rural America.



	Books With Implications for Rural Crime

	The books listed here are not rural crime books per se, but deal with important issues that have implications for rural crime and for the nature of rural justice. Castle, Emery N. (Ed.). (1995). The Changing American Countryside: Rural People and Places. Lawrence, KS: University of Kansas Press. An outstanding, and lengthy, collection of articles covering a wide range of contemporary rural issues. Caudill, Harry M. (1962). Night Comes to the Cumberlands: A Biography of a Depressed Area. Boston: Little, Brown & Company. A classic description of life amidst the poverty of Appalachian Kentucky. Kidder, Tracy (1999). Home Town. New York: Random House. This Pulitzer Prize winning author turns his sights to life in a small western Massachusetts town, including an insightful look at crime and policing there. A town of 30,000 may not fit everyone's definition of rural, but the book has much to inform anyone interested in small-town issues. Kitchen, Dennis (1995). Our Smallest Towns: Big Falls, Blue Eye, Bonanza, & Beyond. San Francisco: Chronicle Books. A collection of photographs taken in some of the smallest towns in America, some with fewer than 10 residents. There is also a brief description of the community with each photograph. A very nice visual tour through some of the most rural parts of America. Klinkenborg, Verlyn (2004). The Rural Life. New York: Back Bay Books. This is a collection of essays about rural life written by the author, who is on the editorial board of the New York Times, where these essays were originally published. Lyson, Thomas and William W. Falk (Eds.). (1993). Forgotten Places: Uneven Development in Rural America. Lawrence, KS: University of Kansas Press. A very good description of the poorest rural areas in America, with an emphasis on the diversity of circumstances among these areas. Ricketts, Thomas C., III (1999). Rural Health in the United States. New York, Oxford University Press. This book includes another very good discussion of the various ways of measuring rural, with a particular emphasis on how different empirical indicators might lead to very different conclusions about rural. While the general focus is on rural health, there are many direct implications for rural crime and rural justice. Salamon, Sonya (2003) Newcomers to Old Towns: Suburbanization of the Heartland. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. A fascinating study of six very different rural communities and their adaptation to declining farm populations and the invasion of outsiders seeking the pastoral life. Salant, Priscilla and Anita J. Waller (1995). Guide to Rural Data. (Revised Edition). Washington, D.C.: Island Press. This is an excellent collection of information about rural data, including an overview of the various ways that the Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Agriculture define such terms as rural and non-metropolitan. A great resource for any researcher. Stull, Donald D., Michael J. Broadway, & David Griffith (Eds.). (1995). Any Way You Cut It: Meat Processing and Small-Town America. Lawrence, KS: University of Kansas Press. A powerful description and analysis of how large modern meat packing companies have an impact on the very small communities into which they move. Wood, Richard E. (2008) Survival of Rural America: Small Victories and Bitter Harvests. University Press of Kansas. The author travels through rural Kansas observing first hand the changes through which rural commuities in the plains are changing.



	Films About Rural Crime and Justice

	Dadetown (1995). A powerful "meta-documentary" about a small town torn by the demise of an established industry. Cash-strapped locals also clash with upper-middle class workers at a new technology company. Perhaps most stunning is what is revealed in the credits at the end of the film -- don't miss them! Affliction (1997). Nick Nolte plays Wade Whitehouse, a part-time police officer in a small New Hampshire town. When not policing he works for the county doing such things as plowing snow from the roads. The empahsis is on how Wade's early family life with an abusive father has shaped him, but there are also many dimensions of rural life and rural policing covered in the story. It is also a beautifully photographed film. Lone Star (1996). A modern western that illustrates being a sheriff in a rural county, and the connections among citizens and between citizens and the police. Through flashbacks we are given a glimpse of three sheriffs in the county, each representing a very different style of policing. A John Sales film nominated for an academy award for its screenplay. Brothers Keeper (1992). A documentary about four brothers in upstate New York. One of the brothers is killed by another and the question is whether it was an accident or murder. Excellent portrayal of community solidarity and of the contempt that rural citiens often feel for "experts" from the state. A Perfect World (1994). Kevin Costner and Clint Eastwood star in this film about a convict on the run (Costner) from the police in rural Texas.



	Other Links of Interest

	The Journal of Southern Rural Sociology: (Volume 23, Number 2, 2008). This special issue focuses on rural crime. National Center on Rural Justice & Crime Prevention: Housed at Clemson University, the National Center on Crime Prevention "focuses on research, education, technical assistance, and information dissemination, with financial support from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, U.S. Department of Justice. Daily Yonder: This site describes itself as "a daily multi-media source of news, commentary, research, and features." Rural Information Resources: A U.S. Department of Agriculture page with links to a variety of sources relevant to rural issues in general. Particularly useful is the site providing county codes and data related to rural www.econ.ag.gov/briefing/rural/data/index.htm Federal Office of Rural Health Policy: An excellent resource for information regarding rural health issues. Their "Publications" section also includes a document discussing how rural might be defined and a document discussing issues in delivering health care to rural children. RuralPSYCH: Described as a resource center for rural behavioral health, this web page was developed by the American Psychological Association's Office of Rural Health and the APA Computer Office. It is designed to assist psychologists working in rural areas by helping them overcome professional isolation and the lack of current treatment information. Although not specifically focused on crime issues, it does include materials related to rural crime. No Place to Hide: Substance Abuse in Mid-Size Cities and Rural America: This is a report, summarized on this page but also downloadable from a button on this page, prepared by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. The report utilizes data from a variety of sources to argue that substance abuse rates in rural areas are higher than urban rates. The report also provides a wealth of citations to research and publications related to rural health and rural substance abuse. Crime and Violence in Rural Communities: An essay by Joseph Donnermeyer posted in March of 1995. The Context of Rising Rates of Rural Violence and Substance Abuse: An essay by Darly Hobbs posted in March of 1995. Urban and Rural Offender Processing Differences in Alaska: A brief essay by Allan R. Barnes about the handling of criminal cases in rural Alaska. (no date given, but it appears to have been posted in August 1989) Rural Law Enforcement Technology Institute: Conducts seminars and training sessions on issues of importance to rural police.



	Ralph A. Weisheit's Home Page
	ISU's Home Page

	(Last Modified: 04/01/09)