There's corruption and lawlessness in small towns too.
Try pissing off someone in power in a small town sometime. Chances are very good they will sick the law (who is related to them probably) on you.
My future father in law has many tales of living in small communities here in SC where the law has been out to get some people who upset the wrong folks, while letting others run rampant saying "oh, it's just how those folks are".
Matter of fact, I grew up in small towns in MT and CO, and I can tell you that while the lawlessness is of a different variety, it still exists there.