Fifteen papers (largely from the 1979 National Symposium on Rural Justice) explore rural crime, criminals, and the rural criminal justice system (law enforcement, courts and the legal process, and jails and corrections). Each section begins with a synthesis. Part I contains two papers: one addresses past research and future directions of rural crime, criminals, and delinquents; the other looks at rural victimization in a southern state. Part II is divided into three sections: (1) law enforcement; (2) rural courts and the legal process; and (3) jails and corrections. The first section provides a perspective on rural crime and law enforcement, changing patterns in law enforcement using the county sheriff as a case study, an approach to enhancement of rural law enforcement, and a community approach to spouse abuse. The following section provides research on rural criminal justice, models for court operations in rural areas, criminal defense in rural America, and rural pretrial services. The last section discusses: problems, people, and solutions for rural jails; a needs assessment for small jails; a national strategy for change in rural jails; a description of the Marengo County Jail Inmate Program; and the philosphy and application of group psychotherapy in regional correctional settings. (AH)