It appears that the rapper Scarface is the latest hip-hop star to get caught up in the child-support system.
The rapper has a federal charge against him on four back-child-support cases. He was first held in St. Louis without bail. He also has outstanding cases in his home state of Texas.
The artist is currently being held in Montgomery County Jail in Conroe, Texas. XXL magazine is reporting that he is being held without bail for incidents in Harris County, Montgomery County, Fort Bend County and the charge in Missouri.
It appears that Scarface has a lot of work to do when it comes to settling issues within his complex life. One of the most frustrating things about being famous is that others think that you've got an infinite supply of money.
Rappers can sometimes bring this upon themselves by using the appearance of wealth as an aphrodisiac to attract women, who then expect the rapper to deliver the money they've been advertising.
So when it comes to paternity suits and child-support cases, men like Scarface get no sympathy from the system, their kids' mothers or the American public. They are also expected to be able to easily afford high-paid attorneys to get them out of any legal mess fairly quickly.
Unfortunately, the perceived trade of sex for wealth doesn't work out the way either party planned (since most rappers are actually broke), so there are a whole bunch of disappointed baby's mamas out there.
Additionally, there are quite a few celebs who once loved the female attention they were receiving at an early age, only to find that the financial hardship of several outstanding paternity cases ends up making their lives miserable. In fact, having a bunch of kids can create a financial hole from which you won't escape until the day of your death.
I am an 18-year vet of the child-support system. I had one child when I was 18 years old, and I never got another woman pregnant after that. What I noticed about this draconian system is that it cares far less about keeping families together than it does about making sure you pay on time.
The same courts that would threaten jail time for non-payment were incredibly unsupportive when I asked for accountability regarding how my money was being spent, or when I requested more access to my child. The system is terrible, so I vowed long ago that I would never make myself a part of it again.
While the child-support system is critical for ensuring that children get what they need, there must also be serious reform. We can't produce productive families if one parent constantly has the threat of jail time hanging over his or her head.
At the same time, those who are being stubborn about non-payment should have serious financial consequences for their behavior. There should be avenues to help both parents make things right without incarcerating them, and the most important part of the process should be to ensure that both parents have significant opportunities to have a presence in the life of the child.
Those four kids produced by Scarface aren't going to be any better off with their father sitting behind bars.
Allowing him to work and take 50 percent of his pay might be a better option. There should also be financial incentives for him to get to know his children better, and the mothers should be required to clear a path to allow for a father-child relationship.
This case is just one of millions in which children are losing a parent because we are refusing to create a system that actually makes sense. Perhaps it's time to think differently.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce's commentary delivered to your e-mail, please click here.
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