                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

PURPOSE AND INTENT (§ 16.1-227)

This law shall be construed liberally and as remedial in character, and the
powers hereby conferred are intended to be general to effect the beneficial
purposes herein set forth. It is the intention of this law that in all
proceedings the welfare of the child and the family, the safety of the community
and the protection of the rights of victims are the paramount concerns of the
Commonwealth and to the end that these purposes may be attained, the judge shall
possess all necessary and incidental powers and authority, whether legal or
equitable in their nature.
		This law shall be interpreted and construed so as to effectuate the following
purposes:

1. To divert from or within the juvenile justice system, to the extent possible,
consistent with the protection of the public safety, those children who can be
cared for or treated through alternative programs;

2. To provide judicial procedures through which the provisions of this law are
executed and enforced and in which the parties are assured a fair hearing and
their constitutional and other rights are recognized and enforced;

3. To separate a child from such child&#8217;s parents, guardian, legal
custodian or other person standing in loco parentis only when the child&#8217;s
welfare is endangered or it is in the interest of public safety and then only
after consideration of alternatives to out-of-home placement which afford
effective protection to the child, his family, and the community; and

4. To protect the community against those acts of its citizens, both juveniles
and adults, which are harmful to others and to reduce the incidence of
delinquent behavior and to hold offenders accountable for their behavior.

HISTORY: Code 1950, § 16.1-140; 1956, c. 555; 1977, c. 559; 1990, c. 554; 1991,
c. 392; 1996, cc. 755, 914.