Thousands of Missourians Not Paying Child Support

(Farmington) Thousands of Missourians are at risk of going to jail for failing to pay child support.

The Kansas City Star reports that last year, nearly 3-thousand Missourians were charged with criminal nonsupport.

It was the 10th most common offense for new prison sentences according to the Missouri Department of Corrections which locked up 137 prisoners for child support-related cases in 2018.

Several Missouri counties have moved away from filing charges on child support cases in recent years, leading to a decline in convictions.

Some prosecutors continue to take an aggressive approach, contending that parents have a legal and moral duty to pay or face criminal cases.