Title:
Ask members of the Senate Judiciary Committee to oppose expanding asset forfeiture powers
Message:
The Senate Judiciary Committee is now considering legislation that would expand the government's power to seize the assets of individuals suspected of drug-related crimes.
The government already has too much power to seize the assets of individuals, but S.B. 177 would further expand the power of police to seize assets, even in the absence of a conviction. Seventy-five percent of seized assets would still be split between the district attorney's office and the attorney general despite the obvious conflict of interest inherent in such an arrangement.
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Civil asset forfeiture laws have often shifted law-enforcement efforts away from serious criminals and towards property offenders. This is evidenced by the fact that 80 percent of seizures are not criminally prosecuted.
Instead of creating more circumstances under which property can be forfeited, the legislature should be examining ways to end this practice. In some cases, police departments have kept seized assets from individuals who were never even convicted.
Let's remove the economic incentives for police to go after property and encourage law-enforcement officials to return their focus to stopping violent crime.
