Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 31.djvu/1147

 FIFTY-SIXTH CONGRESS. Sess. II. Ch. 847. 1901. 1095 CHAP. 847.-An Act To enlarge the powers of the courts of the District of Mfmh 3.1901- Columbia in cases involving delinquent children, and for other purposes. `;—` Be tt enacted by t/te Senate and IYOnse§fRq9resentat2}ves 0 f the United States of America in Congress assemble, That the udges of the crim- g§;;g>g<§ggl{2g;gg?é inal an police courts of the District of Columbia are hereby authorized cmmiisnsmnavecusand emppwered, at their discretion, to commit to the custody and care {‘§d§'.§,§f§"},‘?,§,‘§‘,§,§‘§§l§§` of the oard of Children’s Guardians of the District of Columbia mi¤<>¤‘ <>fY¤¤¤€¤· children under seventeen years of age who shall be convicted of petty crimes or misdemeanors which may be punishable with fine or impris; onment; and said Board of Children’s Guardians shall place, under §*;i§P°¤i¤°¤ °* °hilcontract, such children in such suitable homes, institutions, or training ` schools for the care of children as it may deem wise and proper. - Sec.  That no court shall commit a child under seventeen years of mglgwizgic <=¤¤¤¤i¤· a e, charged with or convicted of a petty crime or misdemeanor pun- ’ ' i51able by a fine or imprisonment, to a jail, workhouse, or police station, but if such child be unable to give bail or pay a fine, it may be committed to the Board of Children’s— Guardians temporarily or permanently, in the discretion of the court, and said board shall make some suitable provision for said child outside the inclosure of any jail, workhouse, or police station, or said court may commit such child to the Reform School under the laws now providing fO1‘ such commitment. Sec. 3. That for the purpose of aiding the court in a pro er dispo- dl§¥¤b¤¢j¢>¤ ¤¤i¢¢r. sition of cases referred to in section one the Board of Childrens m' ° °` Guardians is hereby authorized and directed to designate one of its employees as a probation officer, whose duty shall be to make such investigation in cases involving children under seventeen years of age as the court may direct, to be present in court in order to represent the interests of the child when the case is heard, to furnish the court such information and assistance as the judge may require, and to take charge of any child before and after trial as may be directed by the court. e Sec. 4. That any person within the District of Columbia, of sufficient §¤¤t¢;¤x>1><>r¢ by pu- ' financial ability, who shall refuse or neglect to provide for any child an ’€ ' under the age of fourteen years, of which he or s e shall be the parent or guardian, such food, clothing, and shelter as will revent the suffering and secure the safety of such child, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be subject to punish- "P€”°“’Y- ment by a iineof not more than one hundred dollars, or by imprisonment in the workhouse of the District of Columbia for not more than three months, or both such fine and imprisonment. . ` Sec. 5. That whenever petition or information shall have been filed ,,(§§‘}${, f§;,§‘Q;‘1§§2($ in any court of the District of Columbia authorized to commit children against parent. etc. to the care, custody, and guardianship of the Board of Childrenis Guardians for such commitment of any child, and upon the hearing of the same before said court it shall appear to the satisfaction of the court ` that such child is entitled to be committed as aforesaid under or.by j virtue of any of the provisions of the Act of Congress a proved July VOL 27» P- 268- twenty-sixth, eighteen hundred and n.inety-two, entitled) "An Act to provide for the care of dependent children in the District of Columbia and to create a Board of Children’s Guardians," and if said evidence tends to show that such child has a father or a mothe1·, either of whom · is able to contribute to the support of such child, either by reason of having means or property or aving an income consisting of wages or_ salary due for personal services or labor or otherwise, but failscor neglects so to do, then the pro er prosecutin officer shall file in the police court of the District of Columbia an ingormation charging said ather or mother, or both, with such failure or neglect, and upon conviction thereof the said court shall require the father or the mother of such child, or both such father and mother, to contribute by stated