Child Support Amnesty Programs Work
Tuesday / June 12, 2007
One hundred sixty warrants cleared, $46,905 of back
child support collected.
When a person receives a summons, subpoena or similar
process to attend a child support hearing, but then
fails to show up, the judge has the power to issue a
bench warrant that the person be arrested and then
brought before the court so that the hearing can go
on. This isn't criminal - it's just the court
enforcing its power to compel people to appear and
testify. Nevertheless, it clogs up the court system
and the jail, and if the person has a job, he might
well lose it because of incarceration. No one
benefits in that event because no child support can
be paid if the noncustodial parent is out of work.
Usually, the authorities will not actively try to serve a warrant. Parents are arrested on warrants only when they are stopped for something else - such as a speeding ticket - and the computer check shows the outstanding bench warrant. In late May, however, several Pennsylvania counties in the Philadelphia area decided to execute some of these warrants. But first they declared an amnesty if parents would make a payment on their child support debts, provide current address and employment information and set up a payment plan.
Today's story from Delaware County shows how successful this program was. Judge Michael F.X. Coll said that 115 parents took advantage of the amnesty program, resulting in 160 bench warrants being vacated (some parents had more than one warrant). These 115 parents paid a total of $31,805 in child support.
After the amnesty period expired, sheriff's deputies executed thirty-three bench warrants. Of these thirty-three parents, seventeen paid a total of $15,100 in back child support and were released. The remaining sixteen either could not or would not pay and so are still in jail, awaiting hearings.
By making a public announcement and then arresting only thrirty-three of 148 parents with bench warrants out, Delaware County collected $46,905 in child support and brought 115 parents back into the child support system. The only problem with this program is the way it was reported. Today's headline is "Child-support scofflaws take Delaware County amnesty." But these parents are not scofflaws if they turned themselves in, provided the requested information, and worked up a payment plan.
Usually, the authorities will not actively try to serve a warrant. Parents are arrested on warrants only when they are stopped for something else - such as a speeding ticket - and the computer check shows the outstanding bench warrant. In late May, however, several Pennsylvania counties in the Philadelphia area decided to execute some of these warrants. But first they declared an amnesty if parents would make a payment on their child support debts, provide current address and employment information and set up a payment plan.
Today's story from Delaware County shows how successful this program was. Judge Michael F.X. Coll said that 115 parents took advantage of the amnesty program, resulting in 160 bench warrants being vacated (some parents had more than one warrant). These 115 parents paid a total of $31,805 in child support.
After the amnesty period expired, sheriff's deputies executed thirty-three bench warrants. Of these thirty-three parents, seventeen paid a total of $15,100 in back child support and were released. The remaining sixteen either could not or would not pay and so are still in jail, awaiting hearings.
By making a public announcement and then arresting only thrirty-three of 148 parents with bench warrants out, Delaware County collected $46,905 in child support and brought 115 parents back into the child support system. The only problem with this program is the way it was reported. Today's headline is "Child-support scofflaws take Delaware County amnesty." But these parents are not scofflaws if they turned themselves in, provided the requested information, and worked up a payment plan.
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