DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum New approach to deadbeat parents

By LISA CORNWELL, Associated Press Writer
Sun Mar 25, 12:11 PM ET



Customers at some suburban pizza parlors are getting something extra with their pepperoni and mushrooms — wanted posters for parents accused of failing to pay child support.

The idea came to Cynthia Brown, executive director of the Butler County Child Enforcement Agency, while she was ordering pizza.

"It suddenly dawned on me that most people running from the law don't eat out, they order pizza," said Brown, whose county is north of Cincinnati.

Enforcement agencies across the country use a variety of methods to locate support scofflaws and collect past-due payments. Virginia has issued subpoenas to cellular phone companies seeking addresses and phone numbers. California's Kern County seizes and auctions parents' vehicles, with proceeds going to the children, said Kay Cullen, a spokeswoman for the National Child Support Enforcement Association.

State child support agencies collected more than $23 billion in child support for 17.2 million children in 2005, but the cumulative past-due child support since the agencies were first formed more than 30 years ago is $106 billion, Cullen said.

"While we have made progress, putting the wanted posters on pizza boxes is an example of the innovation and commitment that we need," she said.

Other Ohio counties put posters on their Web sites and work with local Crime Stoppers programs, and a few contract with companies that can track people through rental and cell phone records, according to the Ohio Child Support Directors Association. Some include fliers in water and sewer bills.

Butler County has printed posters with mug shots of its 10 most-wanted parents, placing them in post offices and other government buildings and sending them to Ohio's 87 other counties. The lineup, chosen by prosecutors, is changed twice a year.

The Butler County sheriff's office served 1,224 nonsupport warrants last year, said sheriff's Sgt. Todd Langmeyer. The county has about 350,000 residents.

Brown approached several restaurants and chains with her idea of affixing the posters to pizza boxes, but so far only three pizzerias are participating.

Since the first pizza posters appeared in August, they have led to one arrest, Langmeyer said. "It's a good idea any time you can put the faces out there," he said.

The owner of Karen's Pizzeria hasn't heard any complaints about her participation in the poster program.

"Some customers joke about it and say they're glad they aren't on it," Karen Willis said. "Most seem to think it's a good idea."

An attorney who focuses on fathers' rights cases called the tactic "horrible."

"It's just a way of shaming people," said Maury Beaulier, whose firm is in Eden Prairie, Minn.

Many circumstances can cause people to get behind in support payments, but that doesn't make them deadbeats, he said.

Widespread public shaming also can devastate the children, said Michael McCormick, executive director of the American Coalition for Fathers and Children.

"Think how children feel to see a parent on a wanted poster and know their friends might see it," he said.

Brown said her agency tries to work with parents by trying to help them find work and seeks most payments through civil court. Criminal charges are a last resort. Conviction on a felony count of failing to pay child support brings a prison sentence of up to 18 months, with fines usually set in the amount of the support owed.

"We aren't trying to penalize these people," Brown said. "We are just trying to help the kids who have a right to be supported."

Then there's the other side of the coin. Where the parent paying child support is referred to as the biological ATM! Where all they do is provide financial backing to the other parent.

Does the article mention any part where the custodial parent withholds visitation or bad mouths the other parent to the children? There are two sides to every story people. It's all about the money isn't it?

I will refrain from stating my opinions about this situation because I know that what I have to say will start fights and cause undue stress amongst members of this board.

Everyone's entitled to their opinion.

I just base mine on my own life experiences.

Then there the cases where the wife had an affair, the husband did everything to keep the family together including forgive her, yet she persisted on divorce, got $1200/mo child support, and $1500 alimony thanks to the ever 1-sided court system, and left the husband/father to find a place to live and support himself with with the $800/mo left over.

Yes the above is true, I work with the guy. She even took 50k out of their joint savings 1 week before filing the papers, yet the judge decided that was inadmissible.

If this system works, assuming it takes into consideration fathers(since like 90%+ are most likely men) that have trouble paying have contacted Child Services and explained them the situation and are working things out. And only is putting out posters of guys that haven't payed any monies in months or made any attempt to contact someone to explain their situation.

I do feel for the people that have to pay this, as often no consideration is given to what the earnings are.

You forgot to mention the $30,0000+ that she put on the joint credit cards (during the separation), and making certain that she doesn't get that part during the divorce settlement.

Oh, you're talking about your friend. Sorry.

"...It's all about the money isn't it? "

Yes...that is why it is called child support.

I'm fairly certain that you don't get put on display by missing one child support payment. BTW men and women each qualify for the reverse publicity.

If the custodial parent is withholding visitation than the offended parent should petition the court for redress...I'd make sure I was current on my child support before though.

lol... Nothing says hot, delicious and satisfying like a wanted poster on your pizza box. Now if there were rewards posted on wanted posters, the delivery guys could carry them around with them and maybe pick up a little extra cash.

Never missed one and never will. I'm not saying that any parent is exempt of taking care of their children, I'm saying non-custodial parents have zero say as to where that money is spent and that is where the problem exists.

dead·beat /n. ded-beet; adj. ded-beet] Pronunciation Key -
1. a person who deliberately avoids paying debts.
2. a loafer; sponger.
–adjective 3. being a parent who neglects parental responsibilities, esp. one who does not pay child support: deadbeat dads

Just so there is an understanding here, the term deadbeat parent can be either Parent!! The problem with the term deadbeat, is that it typically refers to the non-custodial parent. The custodial parent can be the deadbeat too!
Personally I hate the term deadbeat parent when referred to the parent who needs to pay child support.

Maybe they should put the pictures of the custodial parents on pizza boxes who take this child support and use it support their unhealthy habits!!

The definition above describes a lot of people whether they are paying child support or receiving it.

None of this would be a problem if everyone,, man and woman, were required to take an IQ test before they were granted a license to have children

Time to visit your support group...good luck

I would be childless

Fargo,I saw what you are speaking of time and time again. I had one child. I understood and saw just how children can be used as weapons against men. So I never had anymore children.

It's sad that our society shows a complete double standard when it come to children in divorce cases. I paid everything owed in this department,but even then,the head games and BS my ex pulled were borderline cruel to both myself and my child.

Once she bacame older,my daughter gave her so much grief for her actions,things got much better. But if I read what you're saying correctly,it's not the child support itself you have an issue with,but many of the other factors that enter into divorce. If so,I pretty much agree with you.

Personally, if I have the choice between a pizza with a smiley face on the box and a pizza covered with wanted posters, I am going to choose the box with the smiley face. I wonder if they think this will help their sales?

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Then there the cases where the wife had an affair, the husband did everything to keep the family together including forgive her, yet she persisted on divorce, got $1200/mo child support, and $1500 alimony thanks to the ever 1-sided court system, and left the husband/father to find a place to live and support himself with with the $800/mo left over.

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They should put her on the pizza box with a big scarlett "A" around her neck.

I will chime my 2 cents in this because I am currently paying child support in Butler county and got there once a month to pay my support.... the last one I saw,Wanted poster, I believe the smallest amout owed was 7K while the largest was 108K,how someone who is in thier late 20's owes 108K is beyond me but not me children or me life his fight....... my point was they have OWED for a long long long time and basically refuse to pay.... thats who they go after not someone who misses one or two payments here and there I've been 5 months to behind before
The state of Ohio likes to start you off 2-3 months behind because the date its sign you get your support amount withing 30 days thats one month then you have 30 days to contest the findings thats 2 months then they have a "court" date to see if you've contested thats 3 months so off the bat I was 3 months behind and I caught it up in 5... I will NEVER get behind on child support EVER again

As far as paying and the MOM playing I know she does that and I know she spends it im not naive on that But I realized its not im my control its in the state of Ohio's and butler county she cannot have me arrested for missing a payment and they cannot force her to spend it on them but I am forced to pay it thru ohio SOoooo I do....

also Ohio has a we won't interfere with custody and Visitation UNLESS we HAVE to clause so we have paperwork drawn up and Notorized with the visitation and holidays drawn up..... if she renigs on it I take her to court show I pay show the paperwork and I win

brian

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Time to visit your support group...good luck

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Done with that Thank You.

Nice attempt in trying to be funny. Want to hear the real irony in that?!

My counselor was a minister who married my ex-wife to her 2nd ex-husband. Go tell that to the support group, funny man/woman.

Join FargoFan at the support meeting soon!

Funny man here...seems like you are a bit bitter for making a bad life choice in the first place. I can relate to that but you married her not me.
Maybe you need to quit trying to seek cheap counseling.

My original post was a story that I thought was unusual but effective. I am not taking the custodial parent's side in any cases, but my only sympathy is directed at the child who misses out on a more stable home life with 2 loving parents...I assign no blame but feel little empathy for deadbeat parents.

Judging from the bitterness of the posts I've seen here it isn't suprising how many of you ended up divorced in the first place.

Now you're playing judge,jury and execurioner. I think they call that "self rightious" where I come from.

"...Now you're playing judge,jury and execurioner. I think they call that "self rightious" where I come from."

Well Bellefontaine,OH. must be full of folks who are unlucky in love and at the same time very judgmental. Life is what you make of it and sometimes it isn't someone else's fault at all...just your own.

The child's welfare is all that really matters in these issues.

Mr. Pit you seem to believe that the messenger needs to be shot when the message is "ASSumtive" and judgmental. I only brought forth the article which I did and still do think is a good one.

I know nothing about the problems of single parents other than my own daughter's difficulties. She married a guy with not much initiative but with some potential but soon the potential disappeared as did the initiative.
He and my daughter[32] have 2 beautiful kids [4 and 7] together and until he impregnated another gal [19] who delivered twins. He has subsequently moved on to an older woman with grown kids.

He is the poster boy for deadbeat dads.At the time they divorced he lost his job at a manufacturing plant[plant closing] and he took various retraining programs offered by the state for just such an event. His child support order was suspended during this time and when 3 1/2 years later he took low profile jobs to block notice from the state.

He made poor life choices and SO DID SHE! She worked constantly as an LPN who wanted to study to become an RN but daycare costs and no child support made that quite tough for her.

She will be fine because she has family to assist her these days but she made the choices initially and must work her way through them.

His face needs to be on the next pizza box sold. Not to recapture monies he owes but to possibly convince a potential deadbeat dad or mom to stay put and do the proper thing.

Mr. Pit you seem to have issues with anyone who disagrees with your assessment of the world's situation. I'm sure the support group has room for you also.

"And believe me,I doubt we have much empathy for you when you come to the realization that yes,even you are human too. See,humans make mistakes."

You know Mr. Pit....I have never met a person who I didn't like...and still haven't. I appreciate you reminding me of my mistakes and human fralties as it is always good to reevaluate one's positions.

I believe that kids should be exempt from adult's bad life choices but still suffer the nasty consequences of them. Regardless of who is to blame for the breakup or the fighting afterwards the child must be supported. There are no innocent adult parties when a kid's welfare and support is at stake.

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I'm not against accountability, I believe in it; but, the forum to best address the problem isn't a pizza box.

All it is is a "pound of flesh" for bitter people harboring anger.

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Nicely put Gift.


Anywho, I think i'll start running a book on when we're gonna see Andre Rison pizza boxes on ebay......

She was clueless and so were her parents.We thought that This young man who came from a nice home but seemed to be more interested in betting sports and playing golf
than in actually advancing himself could be motivated.

She was guilty of a "bad life choice" for sure...but he my friends have been dodging the Child Welfare Office for 3 1/2 years now.

I don't assume that you would find her clueless choice to be as wrong as failing to pay court ordered child support do you? Whatever works to get the back support due seems to be the sensible approach...heck, maybe his parents might step up and handle this if embarrassment is what it takes.

Once again folks only those who are seriously behind on their payments would be featured here...if that stigmatizes them...maybe they will change their ways.

Holy smokes, Mr. Pit...this is more severe than first believed....

"...Rather smug and condecending of you isn't it?

See,my position is don't make assumptions.Don't try to judge others without knowing them and knowing the facts in each situation. Because there is no "one set" of circumstances that covers everyone......
So my assertion is not to ASSume or judge without having all of the facts. But I should have learned from our previous debate,that your view is judge first and get the facts later."....

"Rather smug and condescending of you isn't it?"

So how do you avoid the "pot calling the kettle black" comparison????

I stated that we all must pay the piper when due...I realize that there are wonderful people who divorce and that there are lousy people who cause divorces but who still get custody. This does not change the fact that child support is primary...if an unfair settlement has occurred then take it back to court.
If the liable party refuses to pay then find out what does motivate him or her to pay up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pizza anyone??????????

You know, I've only seen one person quote and post like you do and that same person posted on all the same kinds of threads as you, had the same condescending attitude, and hasn't been on the board for a while. Interesting, isn't it?

I ain't afraid of no ghost!

There is nothing lamer than ghosting, seriously.