Criminal Nonsupport and Child Support Parents have a legal obligation to provide support for their children and failure to provide such support is considered a crime against the state, generally known as criminal nonsupport. Criminal nonsupport statutes exist, in some form, in all 50 states. The severity of the punishments range from misdemeanors with small fines and short jail sentences to felonies with high fines and lengthy prison terms. While the elements of the statutes vary from state to state, generally a state must prove that (1) the defendant acted knowingly or intentionally; and (2) the defendant failed to provide support. A non-custodial parent faces several penalties if he or she fails to make scheduled, regular child support payments. Here are a few examples of penalties associated with child support non-payment: Driver's License Suspension, Inability to Obtain a Passport, Imprisonment, Wage Garnishment. Military single parents who fail to pay child support face severe penalties for child support non payment. However, the penalties differ for military single parents versus civilian parents. One potential penalty for military single parents is dismissal from military service. If a non-custodial parent, charged with child support non-payment, moves to a different state to avoid child support payments, he or she may be be convicted of a federal offense under the Deadbeat Parents Punishment Act. In order to secure a conviction under the Deadbeat Parents Punishment Act, the federal government must prove: The non-custodial parent had the ability to pay child support, The non-custodial parent failed to pay child support, Child support has not been paid for at least a year, The non-custodial parent owes more than $5000 of child support. The government maintains a list of parents negligent in child support payments, sometimes referred to as deadbeats. Non-custodial single parents who have fallen behind on child support payments can attempt to prove that: He or she is unable to pay, but provides other support such as clothing, food or provides child care to the child, when necessary or back child support is not owed or has not accrued to a level that requests back support payments. Parents who struggle with child support payments should try to work something out with a state agency or seek a modification of child support from a state Family Court. Custodial parents seeking back child support from a non-custodial parent should seek help with their state's Child Support Enforcement Agency. Unfortunately, there are millions of us that are owed back due child support payments from our deadbeat ex spouses. Doesn't matter if it is a husband or wife, this is a widespread problem throughout our country. What a lot of single parents don't know, and many local child support agencies, for that matter, is that there are Federal Laws in place, which allow them to collect on back due child support, and punish the offenders. The first step is to understand how the system works, and all of the agencies involved. What is necessary in this whole process is to get your case noticed by all of them. On the local level, many county agencies which handle child support enforcement do not understand, or have even seen, cases which warrant Federal Prosecution, and have no clue how to proceed with this. It is up to the single parent to understand the law, and get any help possible to enforce the law.