A husband or father who willfully deserts or refuses or neglects to provide for and maintain his wife or children, or any of them, or a mother who willfully deserts or refuses or neglects to provide for and maintain her children, or any of them, or a child who willfully deserts or refuses or neglects to provide for and maintain his parents, or either of them, is a disorderly person, and upon being so adjudged shall be committed to the workhouse or county jail of the county or of that county composing a district in which the person resided at the time of the desertion or failure to provide for a period not exceeding 60 days in the discretion of the court; provided, however, that the judge of any such court may order and direct that the sentence of imprisonment be served periodically, instead of consecutively, during periods of time between Friday at 6 P.M. and Monday at 8 A.M. or at other times or on other days, whenever he in his discretion determines the existence of proper circumstances and that the ends of justice will be served thereby. For the purposes of this act the person so committed shall be given credit for each day or fraction of a day to the nearest hour actually served.

Amended by L.1953, c. 42, p. 780, s. 15, eff. March 19, 1953; L.1969, c. 149, s. 1, eff. Aug. 4, 1969.