A recent police sweep in a suburban Chicago-area county to arrest parents who owe back child support shows the lengths that prosecutors and law enforcement are willing to go to get that money to custodial parents.

But none of the people arrested in the "Operate Love 2" sweep, which took place on Valentine's Day, were charged with any criminal counts. Some have questioned whether incarcerating noncustodial parents who don't pay child support actually helps, because once the parents get out of prison, they are often unemployed and have less money than they had going in to prison.

The 11 arrests, which took place in DuPage County, was a repeat of a sweep that county law enforcement did last year on Valentine's Day. Police were searching for 43 parents who owed a combined $1.3 million in back child support. The 11 who were arrested owed a combined $238,000. Last year's sweep netted 15 arrests of parents who owed a combined $660,000.

Instead of facing any felony charges, the 11 were arrested for failing to obey a court order. Bail money posted will be used to start paying off the child support debt. A spokesman for the DuPage County prosecutor said the arrests are to get the parents to start making payments, instead of throwing them in jail.

While everyone understands that custodial parents need the child support money they've been awarded to be able to continue to provide for children, there are circumstances when noncustodial parents can't meet their obligations. If someone can't make their payments because of a medical emergency or the loss of a job, it is possible to petition a judge to modify the payments and make them more manageable.

Source: Daily Herald, "DuPage nabs 11 'deadbeat' dads in Valentine's roundup," Josh Stockinger, Feb. 15, 2012