Chap. 347.—An ACT making it a misdemeanor for parents or guardians to
refuse or neglect to support their children under fourteen years of age,
or to subject children under seventeen years of age to vicious or im-
moral influence, encourage any child to commit a misdemeanor, or to
send a child under seventeen years of age to certain places; punishment
therefor, and declaring an emergency.

Approved March 17, 1910.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That any per-
son within the State of Virginia of sufficient financial ability, earnings or
income, who shall refuse or neglect to provide for any child under four-
teen years of age, of which he or she shall be the parent or guardian, such
food, clothing and shelter as will prevent the suffering and secure the
safety of such child, or shall subject a child under seventeen years of age
to vicious or immoral influences, shall be deemed guilty of a misde-
meanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be subject to punishment by
a fine of not more than one hundred dollars, or by imprisonment in jail
for a period not to exceed sixty days, or in lieu thereof to hard labor on
the public roads for a period not to exceed sixty days, but the court in its
discretion, having regard to the earning capacity of the defendant, shall
have the power to suspend the execution of such sentence and to make
an order, which shall be subject to change by it from time to time as the
circumstances may require, directing the defendant to pay a certain sum
monthly for the space of one year to the guardian or custodian of such
child, or to any society or association approved by the court, and to re
lease the defendant from custody on probation for the space of one year,
upon his or her entering into recognizance, with or without sureties, as
the court may direct.

2. The conditions of the above recognizanee shall be such that if the
defendant shall promptly make such payments, and shall make his or her
appearance in court whenever ordered to do so within the year, and shall
further comply with the terms of the order, and of any subsequent modi-
fication thereof, then the recognizance shall be void, otherwise of full
force and effect. If the court be satisfied, by information and due proof,
under oath, that any time during the year the defendant has violated
the terms of such an order, it may forthwith proceed to enforce the orig-
inal sentence. The court may direct any probation officer of such city
or town, at any time, to ascertain and report to it if the defendant is
obeying such order of the court.

3. It shall be unlawful for any person to cause or encourage any boy
or girl to commit a misdemeanor, or for any person to send or cause to
be sent any boy or girl, under seventeen years of age, to any house of
prostitution, or to any saloon or wine-room, or to any policy-shop or
gambling place, or to any pool-room or bucket shop, knowing them to be
such, or knowingly permit, contribute to, encourage, or cause any such
child to be guilty of any vicious or immoral conduct, and any person so
offending shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall be tried in any
court of competent jurisdiction, and upon conviction thereof shall be
punished by a fine not in excess of one hundred dollars, or by imprison-
ment in jail for a period not exceeding one year, or, in discretion of the
court, in lieu thereof, to hard labor on the public roads for a period
not to exceed six months.

4. All laws and parts of laws not consistent herewith are herewith
repealed.

5. There being emergency, this act is ordered to be in force and effect
immediately upon its passage.