Child Support Enforcement: Incarceration as the Last Resort Penalty For Nonpayment of Support

Using jail as an option for nonpayment of child support has many implications: Are low-income non-custodial parents who are unable to fulfill their child support obligations penalized for being poor? Should non-custodial parents charged with civil contempt of court be entitled to an attorney? Should non-custodial parents whose only offense is nonpayment of child support be incarcerated in settings known to be violent and dangerous? Should incarcerating non-custodial parents be eliminated as an option due to the high costs associated with incarceration? This report includes an appendix that indicates that all 50 states and the District of Columbia have criminal penalties for nonpayment of child support. It also includes a table that shows state statute citations and the maximum penalties associated with nonpayment of child support.

Child Support Enforcement: Incarceration as the Last Resort Penalty For Nonpayment of Support.pdf