Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law

Black's Law Dictionary defines "vagrancy" as: "At common law, the act of going about from place to place by a person without visible means of support, who is idle, and who, though able to work for his or her maintenance, refuses to do so, but lives without labor or on the charity of others.

As defined by Kansas Criminal Code, vagrancy is: (a) Engaging in unlawful occupation; or (b) Being if the age of 18 years or over and able to work and without lawful means of support and failing or refusing to seek employment; or (c) Loitering in any community without visible means of support; or (d) Loitering on the streets or in a place open to the public with intent to solicit for immoral purposes; or (e) Deriving support in whole or in part from begging.

State vagrancy statutes, however, vary greatly, and many have been declared unconstitutional because, as drawn, they purport to punish conduct which is not criminal or are worded too vaguely to inform persons of the nature of the act declared criminal."