Chap. 189.—An ACT' to provide for the commitment by any court having
jurisdiction of such persons convicted therein of a misdemeanor or the
violation of a city ordinance to any county or city farm; to provide for
the commitment by the several courts and police justices of this State of
juveniles that might be committed under the terms of an act approved
March 27th, to any county or city farm; and to provide for the necessary
expense of removing and delivering any person to said farm; and to
provide the expense for the maintenance and support during the period
of his or her confinement upon such farm. {H B 217)

Approved March 14, 1918.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
whenever any city or county of the State has established and is
maintaining and operating or shall hereafter establish, maintain
and operate a city or county farm, as is provided by an act entitled
an act to authorize the counties and cities of the State, jointly or
severally to establish county or city farms and providing for the
joint use of the same, and for the government and support of
persons confined therein, approved March fourth, nineteen hundred
and fourteen, all males, who, in the discretion of the superintendent
of the penitentiary who are physically unfit to work on the public
roads of the State and all females, convicted by any court having
jurisdiction in this State of a misdemeanor or violation of city
ordinances ‘and sentenced to confinement in jail or to be confined
for failure to pay any fine or cost, as provided by law, may, in
the discretion of the court, in which the conviction is had, and
with the consent of the farm board of the city or county farm to
which the said person is sought to be committed as provided herein,
be committed to any such farm, there to be confined during the
term of his or her sentence, and to be required to do such work
as may be assigned him or her during the term of confinement,
and there to be subject in all respects to the rules, control and
management of prisoners committed to the said farm; provided,
however, that nothing in this act shall limit the power of the police
and corporation court for the city of Lynchburg from committing
such persons to the city farm of Lynchburg as is now given the
said courts by law.

2. Whenever a juvenile may be committed under the terms of
an act entitled an act to provide for the commitment of delin-
quent, dependent, or neglected children to State board of chari-
ties and corrections and to certain societies, associations, or reform-
atories, and authorizing such organizations to place said children
in suitable homes and institutions defining the terms, “delinquent,”
“dependent” and “neglected” child;.when children under eighteen
years of age may or may not be sent to jail, workhouse, police
station, or penitentiary; requiring parents in certain contingencies
to pay for support of delinquent, dependent or neglected children,
providing for physical and mental examination of children, and for
placing them in hospitals when necessary; providing for the ap-
pointment of probation officers and prescribing their duties; allow-
ing delinquent children to be released on probation; prescribing
the procedure in hearing of children’s cases; penalties for removing
or interfering with any child committed hereunder or for violating
any provision: hereof, allowing jury trials and appeals; and pro-
viding for the supervision and inspection of societies and associa-
tions by the State board of charities and corrections, approved
March twenty-seventh, nineteen hundred and fourteen, and when
the said county or city farm to which the said juvenile is sought
to be committed, as herein provided, has provided separate quarters
for the housing and detention of juveniles, and when such farm
shall make provision for working and at all times keeping separate
and distinct juveniles from adult prisoners, the several courts and

olice justices of the State, in addition te the powers given them
in the said act, with the consent and approval of the superintendent
of the State board of charities and corrections of this State, and
with the consent of the said farm board, may, in their discretion
commit the said juvenile to any such farm, for an indeterminate
period not to exceed one year, to be there dealt with in such man.
ner and required to do such work as will promote the best interest
of said Juvenile and the Commonwealth.

The necessary expenses of removing and delivering any person
committed under this act from the place of conviction to the said
farm and the maintenance and support of said. person during his or
her confinement upon said farm, shall be paid, in case the person
is convicted and committed for a violation of an offense against
the Commonwealth by the auditor of public accounts out of the
funds set aside to defray criminal expenses, upon the order of the
circuit or corporation court of the county or city operating the
said farm, but in case the person is convicted and committed for a
violation of a city ordinance by the treasurer of the city wherein
the person was convicted, out of the funds of city treasury, upon
an order of the circuit or corporation court of the county or city
operating the said farm to the farm board of the county or city
operating said farm; provided, however, that the cost of main-
tenance and support of such person during his or her confinement
upon said farm and chargeable to the State or city, as the case may
be, shall not exceed the fees and cost under the statutes in such
case made and provided allowed to sergeants, jailers and sheriffs
for keeping and maintaining such persons in confinement.

3. The disposal of a certain class of criminals being involved,
an emergency is declared to exist, and this act shall be in force
from its passage.