News Articles
I'll be printing news articles here that show both the successes and ineptness shown by the system
Last updated 5/2/98
Deadbeat parent law rarely enforced
April 29, 1998
BY DAVE MCKINNEY SUN-TIMES SPRINGFIELD BUREAU
SPRINGFIELD--Illinois judges largely have chosen not to use two laws designed to crack down on child-support deadbeats with driver's license suspensions and newspaper publicity.
The ``Deadbeats Don't Drive'' law, which targets child-support scofflaws more than three months behind in their payments, has yielded 806 license suspensions since taking effect nearly two years ago.
That represents a minuscule fraction of the estimated 220,000 deadbeat parents pursued by the state Public Aid Department for $1.4 billion in unpaid child support.
Only 42 license suspensions have occurred in Cook County, about two per month since July, 1996, when the law took effect. Outside Cook, Will County had the most suspensions among the collar counties, with 67. McHenry County had the fewest, with one.
The other law, enabling judges and circuit court clerks to publish the names of deadbeat parents who owe more than $10,000 in the newspaper, has shown similarly lackluster results since it took effect four months ago.
Secretary of State George Ryan, who proposed the ``Deadbeats Don't Drive'' law, is disappointed that more driver's licenses haven't been suspended, spokesman Dave Urbanek said. Ryan, the Republican candidate for governor, has considered asking for a modification of the law so the secretary of state's office, rather than the courts, could decide whether to suspend someone's license for overdue child support.
Court officials say judges are hesitant to take away someone's driving privileges because that could mean job loss--and loss of the ability to pay what they owe.
``I believe judges think it takes away someone's livelihood, and some income is better than none,'' said Deputy Sangamon County Circuit Clerk Nancy Woodward. Four licenses have been suspended in Sangamon County under the program.
Glenn Poshard, the Democratic candidate for governor, said: ``As far as I'm concerned, it's OK for that option to be in place. Let's just not politicize it as though it's an end-all and be-all, as it was proposed to be in the beginning, because it obviously isn't.''
Regarding the publicity law, a check of Chicago area courthouses found only one instance--in Will County--where an alleged deadbeat parent's name had been published in a newspaper. A spot check of the most populous counties Downstate found no such publication.
``If you were a deadbeat, do you think you'd care if the paper said you didn't pay your child support? It's going to be a legal notice, and no one will see it,'' DuPage County Circuit Clerk Joel Kagann said.
In Illinois, an estimated 46,681 people owe $10,000 or more in overdue child support, the Public Aid Department said.
The Will County case involved a 40-year-old Oak Forest man who owed his former wife $34,200 in child support. Since the ad was placed, he has begun making $50-a-week payments, but he said the ad was not the motivation for that.
``I haven't had any repercussions from it. I don't know anyone who saw it,'' Charles Schlosser said.
Supporters, including the measure's chief House sponsor, say the law eventually will humiliate the state's worst child-support scofflaws into paying up, but four months is not enough time to judge whether the law is working.
People are ``probably not aware they can use this. I think once one or two people start doing it, you'll see a big amount of people's names being published,'' said Rep. Edgar Lopez (D-Chicago).
2/17/98
An article this morning in Yahoo (Reuters) News, and thought you
might enjoy reading it.
Tuesday February 17 10:47 AM EST
Birthday cards for deadbeats
BOSTON (Reuters) - Massachusetts is sending letters to "deadbeat"
parents reminding them that their child's birthday is approaching and asking them to mark it by paying up. The Massachusetts Department of Revenue has sent 1,650 letters stamped "A Birthday Message!" to parents who are behind in support payments, officials said. About 97 percent of the delinquent parents are fathers.
"Birthdays can be very special times, especially for children, and the absence of your support is most certainly felt," the letter reads.
Mitchell Adams, commissioner of the revenue agency, said the letters
should this past weekend begin reaching parents who owe $1,000 to $5,000 in child support and are at least six months behind.
"We're trying to tug on heartstrings here," he said. "There's always a warm feeling in a parent for a child and what we are trying to do is rekindle it."
Under Massachusetts law, deadbeat parents are subject to arrest, but authorities primarily target those whose debt has risen above $5,000. "Above $5,000, we're not sending them a birthday card, we're hunting for them with handcuffs," Adams said.
More than $800 million in child support payments are overdue in the state.
More to come as they arrive.
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