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N.J. Offering One-Week Child Support Payment Amnesty Program

By Jim Melwert

CAMDEN, N.J. (CBS) -- New Jersey is offering a one-week amnesty program for parents who owe child support.

Parents who are behind on their child support payments can avoid jail time and other penalties if they come in to make payments or to work out payment plans, says Camden County freeholder Scot McCray.

"This week is really an opportunity for those individuals to kind of get back on the right foot, avoid any other legal actions against them, and do what they have to do for their families and their children," he tells KYW Newsradio.

He says there are 400,000 children in New Jersey dependent on child support, and nearly 60 percent of those cases involve someone who's behind on payments.

Anyone who is able to come up with a payment plan will have their arrest warrant discharged, McCray says.  If someone comes in but can't work out a payment plan, they won't be arrested and they'll be allowed to leave, but the warrant will still be in effect.

The program runs now through Saturday.   For more information call 1-877-NJKIDS1, or visit njchildsupport.org.

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