THE RURAL OFFENDER IS OFTEN NEGLECTED IN CRIMINOLOGICAL RESEARCH. THIS STUDY OF 60 IOWA REFORMATORY INMATES, FROM AREAS OF OPEN COUNTRY AND PLACES WITH A POPULATION OF LESS THAN 50 PERSONS, INDICATES THAT EXTENSIVE MOBILITY RESULTING IN RECKLESSNESS AND IRRESPONSIBILITY IS CHARACTERISTIC OF THE LIVES OF RURAL OFFENDERS. THE SUBJECTS GENERALLY HAD A MORAL FAMILY BACKGROUND AND A TRADITIONAL UPBRINGING, AND ANY DELINQUENCY WAS LIMITED TO PRANKS. THEY HAD AN INCREASED DESIRE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE OUTSIDE WORLD AFTER THEIR ADOLESCENCE, SEEKING OUT IMPERSONAL CONTACTS AWAY FROM HOME TIES. THE SUBJECTS CONSIDERED THEMSELVES TO BE MOBILE PERSONS, MEASURING THEIR STATUS IN TERMS OF POSSESSIONS RATHER THAN IN THE OPINIONS OF OTHERS. MOST COMMITTED OFFENSES OUTSIDE THEIR HOME COMMUNITIES. DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION WITH CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR WAS NOT A TYPICAL CHARACTERISTIC, AS TWO-THIRDS OF THE OFFENDERS NEVER ASSOCIATED WITH GANGS OF DELINQUENTS. RURAL OFFENDERS DO NOT EXHIBIT THE TYPICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SOCIAL CRIMINAL. THEY USUALLY DO NOT START CRIMINAL ACTIVITY EARLY, DO NOT EXHIBIT A PROGRESSIVE KNOWLEDGE OF CRIMINAL TECHNIQUES, AND, SINCE CRIME IS NOT THEIR SOLE SOURCE OF LIVELIHOOD, DO NOT PERCEIVE THEMSELVES TO BE CRIMINALS. TABULAR DATA AND FOOTNOTES ARE PROVIDED.