Sponsored by the
Charles Koch Institute.
Using a practice known as civil asset forfeiture, law enforcement officers can legally take your property and keep it if they suspect it is connected to a crime. You do not even have to be charged or convicted of a crime for this to happen, and the process of reclaiming property can be long and arduous.
Estimates place the value of assets seized in one year by state and local law enforcement at around $254 million. However, because most states lack adequate reporting requirements, the total is likely much higher. In 2014, federal asset forfeiture accounts contained nearly $4.5 billion in seized assets.
Where did civil asset forfeiture originate, and what can be done about it? How can policymakers and concerned citizens protect property rights and civil liberties while also ensuring that law enforcement has adequate resources to fight crime?
Join the Charles Koch Institute’s Brianna Walden (Strategic Outreach Coordinator) and Eric Alston (Senior Policy and Research Analyst) for a lively and interactive conversation that will attempt to answer these and other questions.
