CSA putting more fathers in jail than ever before
April 11, 2011
In an attempt to perverse its flailing reputation, the Child Support Agency has released figures that emphasise how many fathers have been imprisoned over child maintenance payments – but critics are not impressed.
Over the last year, more than 50 parents – mostly fathers – have been given prison sentences for missing child maintenance payments. Critics have not hesitated to point out how this is likely more harmful than beneficial to helping families, and particularly the children themselves.
The organisation Families Need Fathers has been at the forefront of pointing out the problem with this approach, stating that putting men in prison for not making child maintenance payments means they are unable to pay maintenance at all in many cases, which means the family in question is only going to be worse off while the children are left without their father – which can be traumatic and cause harm beyond that of finance.
There have also been criticisms over the fathers that are targeted by the Child Support Agency. Some of the men imprisoned owe only a few hundred pounds, while others owe tens of thousands with no action taken against them. Many see the CSA as simply picking the easy options rather than targeting those who have no interest in providing for their children.
The CSA has refuted critics’ claims that it is taking the easy option by saying it is very unusual for imprisonment to be enforced. However, as unusual as it is, the fact that it happens is enough to enrage many, and is causing more questioning than ever about the efficacy of the CSA.
The CSA has also released these figures to boast of how many fathers it has imprisoned – so which is it CSA? Are you boasting about sending fathers to prison, or are you refuting claims that you have taken the easy option?
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It is a ‘not fit for purpose’ system, with ‘out of control’, incompetent staff.
Criminalising parents for the sake of the public purse, when Government has thrown and over paid tax credits to millions, who have never or hardly ever contributed to the tax system.
The only thing that this government ‘regime’ is achieveing is causing resentment and alienating parents from children. At a cost to the children of a parent in their lives.
They ‘claim’ to be raising children out of poverty, and yet tax credits have been cut to some families. EMA has been stolen from students, tuition fees £9,000 etc, etc. £ 3.7 billion remains uncollected, so once again they go after the ‘soft targets’, just to give themselves some ‘street cred’ for their bosses, who in turn boast about how good the CSA are…..My ar-e!
It’s a complete shambles and should be shut down!
For the csa to resort to putting people in prison is in effect an admission of failure by that wholly discredited department. I keep an overnight bag ready just in case as I will NEVER give in to these scumbags who I think of as criminals. We dont have the death penalty in this country so there is nothing they can do to frighten me. If they financially ruin me then the ‘skills’ I will learn in prison may prove useful later on when I am released, meantime my short holiday inside will be paid for by their taxes. Make no mistake the people that thought this disgusting organisation up are as decent and sane as Norman Bates, at least thats what I think.
Without doubt there are cases where the CSA have made errors and/or caused delays. In these cases, the agencies heavy handed approach and/or misuse of their powers when dealing such, is unjust.
However, there are cases that are not subjected to any agency incompetence. In such cases, arrears of maintenance are considered a priority debt and non payment duly carry’s penalty.
I think, CSA legislation/procedure/staff should show an ability to distinguish between arrears accrued due to in-house incompetence as opposed to true non compliance.
chall ~ afairercsaforall