ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Tuesday, February 20, 1996             TAG: 9602200050
SECTION: VIRGINIA                 PAGE: C-4  EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press RICHMOND


VA. TO POST DEADBEAT PARENTS ON INTERNET

State child-support officials are planning to post names and descriptions of deadbeat fathers and mothers on the Internet.

Following Massachusetts' lead, Virginia could begin using the Internet to publicize delinquent parents in the next few months, said Joseph S. Crane, interim director of Virginia's Division of Child Support Enforcement.

``The technology is there - we might as well take advantage,'' Crane said.

Child-support officials in Virginia, Massachusetts and other states view the Internet as another public forum in which to seek tips on the whereabouts of deadbeat parents. The goal is to force parents to fulfill at least their financial obligations to children who don't live with them.

Statistics show about one in four Virginia children receives or is owed support from noncustodial parents.

Enforcement of child-support orders is a big weapon in overhauling welfare, since because many people accepting public assistance - mostly mothers - are forced to do so because the other parent isn't contributing his share.

One-third of Virginia's child-support caseload involves out-of-state parents, which makes an international network such as the Internet potentially more useful than releasing most-wanted lists just in Virginia.


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