CHAPTER 206

An Act to amend and reenact § 68-378.1, as amended, of the Code of
Virginia, relating to offenses committed by juveniles in the custody
of the Department of Welfare and Institutions.

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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia: | ded
1. That § 63-873.1, as amended, of the Code of Virginia, be amen
and reenacted as follows:

§ 63-373.1. (1) Whenever a juvenile, fourteen years of age or over,
while in the custody of the State Department of Welfare and Institutions
to which he has been committed, commits an offense bringing such juvenile
within the purview of the juvenile court law, the Director of the Depart-
ment of Welfare and Institutions may, in his discretion proceed against
such child for the offense in the juvenile court having jurisdiction. And if
it shall then be determined that such juvenile should be dealt with as an
adult, it shall be done in accordance with * §§ 16.1-176, 16.1-177 and
16.1-1 77.1 of the Code of Virginia.

(2) Whenever a juvenile, fourteen years of age or over, who has
been committed to the custody of the State Department of Welfare and
Institutions escapes two or more times from such custody and is found
guilty of such escapes by a court having jurisdiction to hear the same,
such escapes may in the discretion of said court be considered as a mis-
demeanor and such juvenile may be found guilty of a misdemeanor and
punished accordingly. *