MACOMB COUNTY, MI (CBS DETROIT) – The Macomb County Sheriff’s Department recently conducted an investigation arrested 25 people who owed more than $1 million in back child support.
Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido said this week that more needs to be done to prevent child support from having to be recovered in this way.
“We are in a crisis situation. That’s what I’m going to say now,” Lucido said.
Lucido said collecting back child support has become a major problem.
“We’re not making any progress on fundraising, nor are we making any progress on tapping into the parents who owe those dollars to those kids when they’re young,” Lucido said.
The goal, according to Lucido, is to avoid checks like those from the Sheriff’s Department, because what that means is children going too long without getting the financial support they need.
READ: The Macomb County Prosecutor is planning a child support arrest
Additionally, putting the burden on the sheriff’s department to collect is a burden on taxpayers.
There are issues related to children not receiving the financial support they need at a young age.
“If our children don’t get what they deserve, whether they are young, we will have a problem when they get older. Research has been done and there are statistics about it. If we take care of our children, Children, show them the path and take good care of them, make sure they have food on the table, then we have a better chance of getting results,” Lucido said.
Next week, the Macomb County Board of Commissioners will hold a special meeting to discuss the best ways to ensure the county can pay off tens of millions of dollars in back child support — something Lucido said is long overdue and necessary.
“It is a blessing in Macomb County that our board of commissioners has stated that we stand with the prosecutor and that we are here to make sure our children get the things they need,” he said.
Gino Vicci
