1 Introduction; 1.1 Definition of Corporal Punishment; 1.2 History of School Corporal Punishment in the United States; 1.3 Why Corporal Punishment Matters in Rural Schools; 1.4 Research Methods; References; 2 Corporal Punishment Practice: Law, Trends, Perspective, and Research; 2.1 Current State Laws; 2.2 Trends; 2.3 Debates on Corporal Punishment Practices: Perspectives from School Staff, Students and Parents; 2.4 A Review of Empirical Studies on Corporal Punishment; References; 3 Demographic Characteristics and Corporal Punishment in Rural Schools

3.1 School Characteristics and Corporal Punishment in the U.S.3.2 School Characteristics and Corporal Punishment in Rural Areas; 3.3 Summary; References; 4 Corporal Punishment and School Safety Efforts in Rural Schools; 4.1 Discipline Practices in Rural Schools; 4.2 Discipline Practices in Rural Schools with Corporal Punishment; 4.3 Crime Prevention Practices in Rural Schools; 4.4 Summary; References; 5 Corporal Punishment and School Outcomes; 5.1 Student Problem Behaviours in Rural Schools; 5.2 Student Problem Behaviours and Corporal Punishment Use

5.3 Academic Achievement and Educational Outcomes in Rural Schools5.4 Academic Achievement and Corporal Punishment Use; 5.5 Trends of School Outcomes and Corporal Punishment Policies; 5.6 Summary; References; 6 Conclusion; 6.1 School Factors and Corporal Punishment in Rural Schools; 6.2 Policy Recommendations; 6.3 Limitations and Recommendations for Future Studies; References