Destitute Persons Act 1989 (Singapore)

The Act defines destitute persons as any person found begging in a public place in a way that causes or is likely to cause annoyance to persons frequenting the place or otherwise creates a nuisance, or any idle person found in a public place, whether or not he or she is begging, who has no visible means of subsistence or place of residence or is unable to give a satisfactory account of himself or herself. 

The Act allows destitute persons to voluntarily seek admission into welfare homes. These welfare homes are designed for the care, control and rehabilitation of destitute persons.