In the US, should paternity tests be mandatory and paternity fraud be a criminal offense?

Lots of men get sideways legally when it comes to child support. Yet we are finding more and more that some of these men are not even the biological fathers. This has caused lives to be ruined, men to be thrown in jail repeatedly, and in general a whole lot of legal headaches. And many of the women know (or suspect) that the child might not be his yet refuse paternity tests.

If paternity tests were mandatory, the chances of this happening would drop to almost nil. Deadbeat dads would still be held accountable, but it would be for their children, not some other guy’s child. And if a woman was found to be committing paternity fraud, she could face the same serious legal repercussions as the men are.

Other thoughts to consider: if a woman is found to have been knowingly holding the incorrect man accountable for support, should she have to pay back any support she received? Should she have to spend an equal amount of time in prison if the man had to go to jail for lack of support?