{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/18.2-478.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/18.2-478.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/18.2-478.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/18.2-478.html"}],"law_id":70244,"edition_id":1,"section_id":70244,"structure_id":13247,"section_number":"18.2-478","catch_line":"Escape from jail or custody by force or violence without setting fire to jail; penalty","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 18.1-289; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1985, c. 555; 2025, cc. 38, 41.","full_text":"If any person lawfully imprisoned in jail and not tried or sentenced on a criminal offense escapes from jail by force or violence, other than by setting fire thereto, or if any person lawfully in the custody of any law-enforcement officer, as defined in \u00a7 18.2-57, on a charge of criminal offense escapes from such custody by force or violence, he is guilty of a Class 6 felony.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":253660,"text":"If any person lawfully imprisoned in jail and not tried or sentenced on a criminal offense escapes from jail by force or violence, other than by setting fire thereto, or if any person lawfully in the custody of any law-enforcement officer, as defined in \u00a7 18.2-57, on a charge of criminal offense escapes from such custody by force or violence, he is guilty of a Class 6 felony.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":13247,"edition_id":1,"name":"Escape of, Communications with and Deliveries to Prisoners","identifier":"7","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13246,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:30","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:30","permalink":{"id":164431,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13247,"identifier":"7","token":"18.2\/10\/7","url":"\/18.2\/10\/7\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13246,"edition_id":1,"name":"Crimes Against the Administration of Justice","identifier":"10","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12972,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:30","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:30","permalink":{"id":164221,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13246,"identifier":"10","token":"18.2\/10","url":"\/18.2\/10\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12972,"edition_id":1,"name":"Crimes and Offenses Generally","identifier":"18.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:05","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:05","permalink":{"id":164139,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12972,"identifier":"18.2","token":"18.2","url":"\/18.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":86161,"structure_id":13247,"section_number":"18.2-473","catch_line":"Persons aiding escape of prisoner or child","url":"\/18.2-473\/","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-473","metadata":false},{"id":80656,"structure_id":13247,"section_number":"18.2-473.1","catch_line":"Communication with prisoners or committed person; penalty","url":"\/18.2-473.1\/","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-473.1","metadata":false},{"id":84559,"structure_id":13247,"section_number":"18.2-473.2","catch_line":"Covering a security camera in a correctional facility; penalty","url":"\/18.2-473.2\/","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-473.2","metadata":false},{"id":81881,"structure_id":13247,"section_number":"18.2-474","catch_line":"Delivery of articles to prisoners or committed person","url":"\/18.2-474\/","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-474","metadata":false},{"id":78113,"structure_id":13247,"section_number":"18.2-474.1","catch_line":"Delivery of drugs, firearms, explosives, etc., to prisoners or committed persons","url":"\/18.2-474.1\/","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-474.1","metadata":false},{"id":54247,"structure_id":13247,"section_number":"18.2-474.2","catch_line":"Bribery in correctional facilities; penalty","url":"\/18.2-474.2\/","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-474.2","metadata":false},{"id":77301,"structure_id":13247,"section_number":"18.2-475","catch_line":"Officers, etc., voluntarily allowing person convicted, charged, or adjudicated delinquent of felony to escape; penalty","url":"\/18.2-475\/","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-475","metadata":false},{"id":68970,"structure_id":13247,"section_number":"18.2-476","catch_line":"Officers, etc., willfully and deliberately permitting person convicted of, charged with, or adjudicated delinquent of a nonfelonious offense to escape or willfully refusing to receive person; penalty","url":"\/18.2-476\/","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-476","metadata":false},{"id":74785,"structure_id":13247,"section_number":"18.2-477","catch_line":"Prisoner escaping from jail; how punished","url":"\/18.2-477\/","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-477","metadata":false},{"id":71093,"structure_id":13247,"section_number":"18.2-477.1","catch_line":"Escapes from juvenile facility; penalty","url":"\/18.2-477.1\/","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-477.1","metadata":false},{"id":69096,"structure_id":13247,"section_number":"18.2-477.2","catch_line":"Punishment for certain offenses committed within a secure juvenile facility or detention home","url":"\/18.2-477.2\/","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-477.2","metadata":false},{"id":70244,"structure_id":13247,"section_number":"18.2-478","catch_line":"Escape from jail or custody by force or violence without setting fire to jail; penalty","url":"\/18.2-478\/","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-478","metadata":false},{"id":60333,"structure_id":13247,"section_number":"18.2-479","catch_line":"Escape without force or violence or setting fire to jail; penalties","url":"\/18.2-479\/","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-479","metadata":false},{"id":82772,"structure_id":13247,"section_number":"18.2-479.1","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/18.2-479.1\/","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-479.1","metadata":false},{"id":76492,"structure_id":13247,"section_number":"18.2-480","catch_line":"Escape, etc., by setting fire to jail","url":"\/18.2-480\/","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-480","metadata":false},{"id":77023,"structure_id":13247,"section_number":"18.2-480.1","catch_line":"Admissibility of records of Department of Corrections in escape cases","url":"\/18.2-480.1\/","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-480.1","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":69096,"structure_id":13247,"section_number":"18.2-477.2","catch_line":"Punishment for certain offenses committed within a secure juvenile facility or detention home","url":"\/18.2-477.2\/","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-477.2","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":60333,"structure_id":13247,"section_number":"18.2-479","catch_line":"Escape without force or violence or setting fire to jail; penalties","url":"\/18.2-479\/","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-479","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/18.2-478\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 4 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1960, chapter 358; in 1975, chapters 14 and 15; in 1985, chapter 555; in 2025, chapters 38<\/a> and 41<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":80246,"section_number":"17.1-805","catch_line":"Adoption of initial discretionary sentencing guideline midpoints","order_by":null,"url":"\/17.1-805\/"},{"id":61280,"section_number":"19.2-392.02","catch_line":"National criminal background checks by businesses and organizations regarding employees or volunteers providing care to children or the elderly or disabled","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-392.02\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":64628,"section_number":"18.2-57","catch_line":"Assault and battery; penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-57\/"}],"permalink":{"id":164477,"object_type":"law","relational_id":70244,"identifier":"18.2-478","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-478","url":"\/18.2-478\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/18.2-478\/","token":"18.2\/10\/7\/18.2-478","dublin_core":{"Title":"Escape from jail or custody by force or violence without setting fire to jail; penalty","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 18.2-478","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

If any person lawfully imprisoned in jail and not tried or sentenced on a criminal offense<\/span> escapes from jail by force or violence, other than by setting fire thereto, or if any person lawfully in the custody<\/span> of any law<\/span>-enforcement officer, as defined in \u00a7 18.2-57<\/a>, on a charge of criminal offense<\/span> escapes from such custody<\/span> by force or violence, he is guilty of a Class 6 felony<\/span>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nESCAPE FROM JAIL OR CUSTODY BY FORCE OR VIOLENCE WITHOUT SETTING FIRE TO JAIL;\nPENALTY (\u00a7 18.2-478)\n\nIf any person lawfully imprisoned in jail and not tried or sentenced on a\ncriminal offense escapes from jail by force or violence, other than by setting\nfire thereto, or if any person lawfully in the custody of any law-enforcement\nofficer, as defined in \u00a7 18.2-57, on a charge of criminal offense escapes from\nsuch custody by force or violence, he is guilty of a Class 6 felony.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 18.1-289; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1985, c. 555;\n2025, cc. 38, 41.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}