§ 14-1-3 - Definitions.
SECTION 14-1-3
§ 14-1-3 Definitions. – The following words and phrases when used in this chapter shall, unless thecontext otherwise requires, be construed as follows:
(1) "Adult" means a person eighteen (18) years of age orolder, except that "adult" includes any person seventeen (17) years of age orolder who is charged with a delinquent offense involving murder, first degreesexual assault, first degree child molestation, or assault with intent tocommit murder, and that person shall not be subject to the jurisdiction of thefamily court as set forth in §§ 14-1-5 and 14-1-6 if after a hearing,the family court determines that probable cause exists to believe that theoffense charged has been committed and that the person charged has committedthe offense.
(2) "Appropriate person," as used in §§ 14-1-10 and14-1-11, except in matters relating to adoptions and child marriages, means andincludes:
(i) Any police official of this state, or of any city or townwithin this state;
(ii) Any duly qualified prosecuting officer of this state, orof any city or town within this state;
(iii) Any director of public welfare of any city or townwithin this state, or his or her duly authorized subordinate;
(iv) Any truant officer or other school official of any cityor town within this state;
(v) Any duly authorized representative of any public or dulylicensed private agency or institution established for purposes similar tothose specified in § 8-10-2 or 14-1-2; or
(vi) Any maternal or paternal grandparent, who alleges thatthe surviving parent, in those cases in which one parent is deceased, is anunfit and improper person to have custody of any child or children.
(3) "Child" means a person under eighteen (18) years of age.
(4) "The court" means the family court of the state of RhodeIsland.
(5) "Delinquent" when applied to a child means and includesany child who has committed any offense which, if committed by an adult, wouldconstitute a felony, or who has on more than one occasion violated any of theother laws of the state or of the United States or any of the ordinances ofcities and towns, other than ordinances relating to the operation of motorvehicles.
(6) "Dependent" means any child who requires the protectionand assistance of the court when his or her physical or mental health orwelfare is harmed or threatened with harm due to the inability of the parent orguardian, through no fault of the parent or guardian, to provide the child witha minimum degree of care or proper supervision because of:
(i) The death or illness of a parent; or
(ii) The special medical, educational, or social serviceneeds of the child which the parent is unable to provide.
(7) "Justice" means a justice of the family court.
(8) "Neglect" means a child who requires the protection andassistance of the court when his or her physical or mental health or welfare isharmed or threatened with harm when the parents or guardian:
(i) Fails to supply the child with adequate food, clothing,shelter, or medical care, though financially able to do so or offered financialor other reasonable means to do so;
(ii) Fails to provide the child proper education as requiredby law; or
(iii) Abandons and/or deserts the child.
(9) "Wayward" when applied to a child means and includes anychild:
(i) Who has deserted his or her home without good orsufficient cause;
(ii) Who habitually associates with dissolute, vicious, orimmoral persons;
(iii) Who is leading an immoral or vicious life;
(iv) Who is habitually disobedient to the reasonable andlawful commands of his or her parent or parents, guardian, or other lawfulcustodian;
(v) Who, being required by chapter 19 of title 16 to attendschool, willfully and habitually absents himself or herself from school orhabitually violates the rules and regulations of the school when he or sheattends; or
(vi) Who has on any occasion violated any of the laws of thestate or of the United States or any of the ordinances of cities and towns,other than ordinances relating to the operation of motor vehicles.
(10) The singular shall be construed to include the plural,the plural the singular, and the masculine the feminine, when consistent withthe intent of this chapter.