Victim wants rapist's parental rights restricted

[Jim Lane]

126. I think you're both right.

I agree with kcr that it's usually proper to impose a child support obligation on a noncustodial parent and to enforce that obligation.

I also agree with Heather MC that in a system that has to handle millions of cases, and is administered by fallible humans, there are going to be screwups. I once got a dunning letter from the IRS that noted an account of mine on which I had earned some interest that I hadn't declared on my return. The IRS letter itself, right in its text, identified the account as my IRA account. Of course these things will happen and people will have to try to straighten them out.

It wouldn't surprise me if, in many places, the funds for administration are inadequate, because "government bureaucrats" would be an easy target for politicians who need to cut spending somewhere and who want to appeal to popular prejudices. Furthermore, any large system like this tends to acquire a life of its own, and following the prescribed rules takes precedence over serving the goal that prompted the enactment of the rules in the first place.