CHAP. 312.—An ACT authorizing commitment of persons charged with
crime, who are suspected of being feeble-minded, to city or county
farms, and providing for length of sentence and examination.

(H. B. 344.)
Approved March 20, 1916.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
the words “‘feeble-minded person” in this act shall be construed
to mean any person with mental defectiveness from birth or
from early age, but not a congenital idiot, so pronounced that he
is Incapable of caring for himself or managing his affairs, or
of being taught to do so, and who, consequently, requires care,
supervision and control for the protection and welfare of him-
self, of others and of the community, but who is not classible
as an “insane person,” as usually interpreted.

2. When a person is brought before any circuit or corpora-
tion court, juvenile court, justice of the peace, or other court
of justice fcr any purpose other than an inquiry into his mental
condition, if it appears to the court upon the testimony of one
or more qualified physicians that such a person is feeble-minded
within the meaning of this act, the judge or the justice shall di-
rect some officer of the court, or other suitable person, to file
a petition for a commission to conduct an inquiry into the
mental condition of such person, and the court, pending the
preparation, filing and hearing of such petition, may order the
said person to be detained in a proper place of safety; or be
placed under the guardianship of some suitable person; or com-
miited to the department of the criminal insane at the appro-
priate institution, or to a county or city farm, established under
an act approved March fourth, nineteen hundred and fourteen,
entitled an act to authorize the counties and cities of the State,
jointly or severally, to establish county or city farms, and pro-
viding for the joint use of the same, and for the government and
support of persons confined therein, for observation for a
period not less than sixty (60) days, or more than six (6)
months.

3. Upon admission of such person into a city or county
farm, the superintendent of such institution shall cause the men-
tal condition of such person to be examined and shall cause
such person to be placed under special observation during his
stay at the institution, during which time such person shall
be subjected to the Binet Simon measuring scale for intelli-
gence, or some other approved test of mentality to be applied
by the superintendent of said farm and by an expert designated
by the State board of charities and corrections, and at the ex-
piration of the term of such alleged feeble-minded person, the
said superintendent shall report the results of his investigation
to the court for such action as the said court, or judge, may deem
necessary.

4. The superintendent of a county or city farm, to which
a person suspected of feeble-mindedness is committed for ob-
servation, shall provide for such person suitable employment
and shall carefully observe and record the social and industrial
reactions of such person and report the same to the court or
judge committing said person to said institution.

All acts and parts of acts inconsistent with this act are

to that extent hereby repealed.