Would this have been a crime?

[Rishile]

I found this newspaper article about my Gtx3 Grandfather and wondered if this is really a crime?  I'm sure there were a lot about at that time - and most of them in my family 

[Rosinish]

I would assume so as it was a Magistrate & would he refer to "prison" if it wasn't the case 

What year was this & Where 

Annie

[CaroleW]

No different to today - it's a crime to fail to support your children unless illness/unemployment etc prevents it

[Victor Harvey]

Hi,
I have recently been researching ledgers of Previous Convictions at Gloucester Goal for a fellow RootsChatterer and I can assure you that non-maintenance was a crime generally resulting in a fine or Hard Labour.
Victor

[Rishile]

What year was this & Where 

Annie

This was in Tormorham, Devon in 1848. 

Rishile

[stanmapstone]

It was a crime under Section 3 of the Vagrancy Act 1824 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1824/83/pdfs/ukpga_18240083_en.pdf and the penalty was for hard labour for any time not exceeding one calendar month.
See http://www.duhaime.org/LegalDictionary/V/Vagrancy.aspx
Stan

[wee mammy]

It was a crime even in Scotland. My own grandfather in 1915 was given 30 days for neglecting his family as he was away at sea and never sent them any money.

[stanmapstone]

A Vagrancy Definition: A criminal offence of being intentionally unemployed and thereby neglecting to maintain himself or his family.

Stan

[alanmack]

Must've changed a bit by now though Stan. I caught a burglar in my garage a couple of years ago. He was charged and convicted, not of burglary, housebreaking etc, but with Vagrancy. He got 10 months. I felt cheated 

alanmack