FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                    AG
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1994                                  (202) 616-2771
                                                         TDD (202) 514-1888

           ATTORNEY GENERAL RENO ANNOUNCES PLAN TO CRACK DOWN ON
              DEAD-BEAT PARENTS WHO FAIL TO PAY CHILD SUPPORT


     WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Federal prosecutors today targeted
deadbeat parents in 13 states as part of a government effort to
get parents to pay off an estimated $34 billion they owe for
child support.
     Twenty-eight cases were filed, seeking almost $1 million in
overdue payments, as Attorney General Janet Reno announced a
three-point plan to aggressively investigate and prosecute
parents who are in default in making child support payments. 
Twenty-three of the cases were filed yesterday.  Charges were
filed against five other parents within the last two weeks.  An
additional 15 cases were brought in the past year.  
     Another 25 cases were referred today by the Department of
Health and Human Services to federal prosecutors, and more than
200 cases are under active review, the Department said.
     "We're not just talking about shirking a parental
responsibility--we're talking about breaking the law," said Reno. 
"These 28 cases are only the beginning of our enforcement
efforts.  By working together with HHS, the FBI and state and
local child support agencies, we will pursue the most egregious
instances--parents who have the ability to pay but simply thumb
their nose at the court and at their children," Reno added.
     Today's action was taken under the 1992 Child Support
Recovery Act.  That law made it a federal offense, for the first
time, to willfully fail to pay more than $5,000 in court-ordered
support for a child living in another state.  First time
offenders are charged as misdemeanants, subject to up to six
months in prison and a $5,000 fine.  Repeat offenders are subject
to a felony prosecution, and up to two years in prison and a
$250,000 fine.
     In addition to federal enforcement action, the plan also
calls for comprehensive training of federal prosecutors and FBI
agents to implement the program, and close coordination with
state child support agencies who conduct the vast majority of
enforcement activities.  Each of the 94 U.S. Attorney's offices
has designated a child support enforcement coordinator. 
Prosecution guidelines have been developed to assist federal
prosecutors to go after the most egregious non-support cases in a
uniform and fair manner.
     Today's announcement marks an important step in the
Department's continuing strategy to assist state agencies in the
enforcement of child support obligations, said Reno.
     Thus far, cases have been brought in Arizona, California,
Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio,
South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia.
     The estimated $34 billion owed for child support is based
upon the difference between $14 billion that is collected from
dead-beat parents and $48 billion which is the total amount owed 
if all child support orders were in place and all non-custodial
parents paid their full amount based on their ability to pay. 
     The three-point plan:
1)  Aggressively Investigate and Prosecute
       Reviewed hundreds of referrals from HHS.  One hundred
sixty cases have already been reviewed by the Criminal Division
and sent to U.S. Attorneys' offices.
2)  Develop Effective and Efficient Federal/State/Local           
    Partnerships
       Established referral and information-sharing procedures
between U.S. Attorneys offices and state child support agencies.
     The Department expects that this increased coordination of
state and federal enforcement efforts to result in increased and
more efficient criminal child support enforcement.
3)  Provide Comprehensive Training and Support to Prosecutors
       Over the past year, the Department has designated a child
support enforcement coordinator in each of the nation's 94 U.S.
Attorney's offices.
       Issued comprehensive prosecution guidelines to assist
U.S. Attorneys prosecute the most egregious child support cases
in a uniform and fair manner.
       Held child support training conferences for federal and
state prosecutors, FBI agents, and state and federal social
service officials on ways to investigate and prosecute child
support cases. 
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94-720