NCJ Number
166432
Journal
Children's Legal Rights Journal Volume: 16 Issue: 3 Dated: (Summer 1996) Pages: 40-53
Date Published
1996
Length
14 pages
Annotation
This article examines the history of child support in the United States as part of an effort to understand current problems with child support enforcement and collection.
Abstract
The Federal Government has enacted many laws and programs designed to help custodial parents receive child support. These programs help families monetarily and assist them in tracking down non-supportive parents. The States provide implementation of the laws and programs. However, statistics show that Federal and State governments have been unable to effectively handle child support collection and enforcement problems. This article describes: (1) the history of child support mandates and their inadequacies; (2) the States' role in collection and enforcement; (3) the increasing problems with interstate collection of child support; (4) two States' responses to the problem of child support; and (5) two organizations involved in the battle of child support enforcement and collection. It also discusses some of the child support collection and enforcement provisions in the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996. Endnotes