Chap. 277,—An ACT to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a new section
numbered 4548-¢ relating to commitment of certain misdemeanants to State
Board of Public Welfare and powers of Board; and to repeal Chapter 428
of the Acts of Assembly of 1922, approved March 24, 1922, relating to the
same matters. [S B 222]

Approved March 26, 1946

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia be amended by adding a new section
numbered forty-five hundred forty-eight-g, as follows:

Section 4548-g. Any female convicted, by any court or justice in
this State, of prostitution or being a keeper or inmate, or frequenter of a
house of ill-fame, prostitution or assignation, or for soliciting for immoral
purposes, of associating with or consorting with persons of ill repute, of
vagrancy, of contributory delinquency or neglect or dependency, may, in
lieu of the jail sentences or fines provided for such offenses, be com-
niutted to the control and supervision and direction of the State Board of
Public Welfare for an indeterminate period of not less than three months
nor more than three years, and said board may recommit such females to
a State institution or to such other institutions in this State as may be
approved by it as being suitable for the proper care of such females, and
as being equipped to give medical treatment to such of them as may be
diseased, and industrial training to such of them as may be in need
thereof. The board is authorized to make a careful physical, mental and
social examination or study of every such female, and to investigate the
personal and family history in order that plans for their training, re-
habilitation, release, supervision and revocation may be adequately un-
dertaken. If, however, the State Board of Public Welfare finds it not
possible or expedient to place such females in the institutions named
above, the said board is hereby authorized to commit them to jail, or, in
their discretion, to place said females on probation. After the expira-
tion of the minimum sentence of any such female, the State Board of
Public Welfare may at any time order the release of such female when
satisfied that such release is conducive to the welfare of such female and
will not be detrimental to the Commonwealth, and may prescribe reason-
able terms or conditions upon which such release is granted. If any
female so released violates the terms or conditions of her release, the
State Board of Public Welfare may revoke the order of release and direct
her apprehension and detention by the proper law enforcement officers
and her release to the said board, and said board may recommit such
female to an institution or make such othér disposition as is deemed ad-
visable. Provided, however, that in no case shall the total period of pro-
bation, confinement, supervision and reconfinement exceed three years.
All such institutions, except State institutions, shall receive from the
State the same fees as are allowed by law to jailers.

2. Chapter four hundred twenty-eight of the Acts of Assembly of
nineteen hundred twenty-two, approved March twenty-four, nineteen
hundred twenty-two, 1s repealed.