Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
Editorials & Other Articles
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsStates Caught in Tug-of-War Over Whether Cops Can Keep Your Stuff
http://readersupportednews.org/news-section2/318-66/37099-states-caught-in-tug-of-war-over-whether-cops-can-keep-your-stuffWidespread civil forfeiture emerged from the drug war of the 1980s, and has been the source of controversy since. The back-and-forth is part of a fresh round of battles being waged in statehouses nationwide amid a federal stalemate on possible changes though a new congressional bill was introduced May 19.
Those struggles are proving to be especially bitter because both backers and opponents of asset forfeiture represent influential constituencies used to getting their way in state capitals: Powerful local police groups and prosecutors are trying to preserve the lucrative cash-cow procedures that help them fight crime, while a potent national coalition of liberals and libertarians is decrying civil forfeiture as policing for profit that rides roughshod over individual rights.
Much of the legislation has emerged from a grouping of strange political bedfellows: conservative giants such as the American Legislative Exchange Council, the Charles Koch Institute and the Institute for Justice and the Cato Institute, plus traditionally liberal players such as Common Cause, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Drug Policy Alliance.
Together these organizations have distributed various forms of model legislation to lawmakers that would bar asset forfeiture in civil, rather than criminal, proceedings. The odds are stacked against property owners in civil forfeiture, because they must provide their own attorneys and the government has a lower burden of proof than in criminal cases.
The allies want criminal convictions to be the threshold for whether assets can be forfeited, public disclosure of whats been taken and the creation of general funds to hold the forfeited goods, rather than accounts funneled directly to law enforcement agencies. The measures are also attempting to limit so-called equitable sharing, through which federal authorities and local police agencies divvy up the seized booty, which can range from cars and cash to bridal gowns.
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
4 replies, 796 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (19)
ReplyReply to this post
4 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
States Caught in Tug-of-War Over Whether Cops Can Keep Your Stuff (Original Post)
eridani
May 2016
OP
dreamnightwind
(4,775 posts)1. Reform of this is much needed
It is one of the structural supports of the police state and needs to be ended.
eridani
(51,907 posts)2. Got WA State'sforfeiture laws modified working with libertarians
Final product was watered down, but every little bit helps.
Response to eridani (Original post)
Th1onein This message was self-deleted by its author.
L. Coyote
(51,129 posts)4. Over Whether Cops Can "Steal" Your Stuff Legally
Laws can be written to make anything legal, even murder. Witch burning is a good example of killing people to steal their stuff. Many witch burnings were of elder women with valuable estates and no husband to protect them.