SHIRKING CHILDREN SHOULD BE A PAINFUL EXPERIENCE

Welfare in this nation stands as a support system for those who can't, for one reason or another, care for themselves or their own. Some would argue that the system, as now constructed, encourages people to deflect any manner of self-administration. In some instances, however, personal indifference captures the attention of public agencies, as is the case with child support negligence. Because of who this hurts and how deep the wounds can run, we deplore this offense and commend state actions to crack down on deadbeats who don't support their offspring.

In case anyone doubts it, the business of child support is a big one and growing. In Missouri last year, there were 1.8 million child support payments totaling $250 million filed through circuit clerk offices. (Compare this to the 1986 figures of 799,000 annual payments statewide and a total of $90 million.) In Cape Girardeau County, the circuit clerk's office processes between 75-100 payments a day, amounting to about $12,000 daily.

And these are the people who are forthcoming with their payments. Nationally, 58 percent of single parent households have court orders for child support, yet only half of those receive the support due to them. President Clinton recognized as much in his State of the Union address, vowing enforcement incentives and saying, "People who bring children into this world can't just walk away." According to the Illinois Department of Public Aid, non-payment of child support is the main reason nearly 500,000 children in that state receive public assistance.

Last week, Illinois released a "Most Wanted" list of child support offenders, naming 500 delinquents who refused to pay a cumulative $11.3 million in child support. We like this idea. From those who shirked their court-ordered responsibilities last year, the state of Illinois collected $202 million. The aggressive enforcement methods include an expedited hearing process in Cook County and a means of paternity establishment immediately after a child's birth. In a statement last week, Gov. Jim Edgar identified it as a simple proposition: "All the deadbeats need to do to get us off their backs is to support their children ...."

The deadbeats are a hurting bunch. In addition to hurting those they brought into the world, they hurt a nation feeling its way along in trying to solve a substantial welfare problem. We applaud those efforts that make the act of shirking personal responsible a painful experience.