Maryland operation results in over 50 arrests for child support

Father’s Day was on June 17, and for many families, this was a time to spend a little extra quality time with their dads, showing appreciation for everything they have done. It can be an important day for fathers too, a time to enjoy extra time with their children. It would be nice if the day was great for everyone, but some Maryland authorities made sure it wasn’t much of a great day for many fathers who are behind on child support.

In a program supported by federal and county grants, the authorities conducted what has become an annual “Father’s Day Warrant Sweep.” The operation, conducted from June 12 through June 14, is aimed at closing out active child support warrants that have been issued for failure to pay. The 2012 operation reportedly resulted in 51 arrests, and those arrested allegedly owe a total of approximately $343,000 in unpaid support.

There is probably no one who thinks it is better to have to arrest these people than it is to see them actively paying as ordered. However the authorities have to prosecute these agreements, and many states are making it more and more damaging to avoid meeting the obligation.

One of the best ways to prevent an arrest for nonpayment is to request a child support modification. Sometimes circumstances change and a change in the agreement is what is actually needed — not an arrest. Raising a child is by no means cheap, but when the best interests of the child are considered, some support is always better than no support.

Source: Gazette.net, “Unhappy Father’s Day for those who failed to pay child support,” Daniel J. Gross, June 19, 2012