The Family Desertion Problem across State Lines

Abstract

When fathers desert, families are left destitute, and have to depend on relief. For such situations, the welfare and public assistance departments of the fifty states pay out many millions of dollars each year. Given the fact that there is much diversity in the laws of the fifty states, both regarding obligation to support and regarding procedures entailed, and given the fact that the deserter usually goes to another state to avoid his obligations, how can the deserted family get support payments, and how can this drain on the public purse be prevented? This essay is concerned with the American solution to this problem.