Scott A. Hughes
Walden University
Research Theory, Design, and Methods
RSCH-8100 P-4
Dr. Eileen Eisen
February 2, 2014
The Abbreviated Qualitative Plan
Introduction
Laws governing the administration of paternal processes, vary from state to state within the United States. The U.S. court system allows states to enforce paternal sanctions even after they have been definitively determined that a man is not the biological father of the child. (Brott. 2008) Currently, these irregularities regarding paternity create egregious injustices such as, men who, through DNA testing, have been proven not to be the biological father of the child, still being force to pay child support; even to the extent of being at risk of imprisonment should the accuse fail to maintain monetary support. Because of the monetary component of paternity cases, low income men are at a greater risk of experience catastrophic life-circumstances as a result of paternity fraud. Because of the inconsistency of the varying laws governing paternal support in each state, low-income families with already scarce resources are faced with instances of caring and providing for a child (believing them to be a blood relative) only to find out later that the child was not related.
The disparities in the U.S. court system regarding paternity of low-income individuals has extreme effects on whether children would ever know their fathers, but they also lead to men being involuntarily held financially or legally responsible for children they did not biologically father; a burden that has disproportionate negative effects on a man with low-income. Dr. Vincent Miller contends "Nearly 30% of the tested paternity cases in our laboratory result in an exclusion of the "alleged father" presented as the biological father." (2010). The mere allegation of a man’s paternity, results in the U.S. court system entering financially, as well as
References: Biotechnology; DNA technology roots out paternity fraud. (2010). Life Science Weekly, , 287. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/746790449?accountid=14872 Child support, money, emotions, and victims of paternity fraud: New survey. (2009, Sep 23). PR Newswire Courts ignore paternity fraud. (2007, Dec 12). The Berkshire Eagle. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/379923439?accountid=14872 Creswell, J. (2009). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (Laureate Education, Inc., custom Ed.) Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2008). Quantitative methods, an example. Baltimore: Author Lincoln, Y.S., & Guba, E.G. (1985). Naturalistic Inquiry. Thousand Oaks: CA. Sage. Mandatory DNA testing would protect against paternity fraud. (2001, Feb 28). Washington Times. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/409646680?accountid=14872 Sreeroopa, S. (2014). Qualitative research methods. Media: Retrieved from Laureate Education, Inc.