Author Archives: Ian MacDougall

Police say seizing property without trial helps keep crime down. A new study shows they’re wrong.

Civil asset forfeiture laws, which allow police to seize property without trial, are frequently justified as tools to seize millions from kingpins. A new study reveals the median amount taken is as low as $369 in some states.
By Ian MacDougall
Posted on December 21, 2020 by Ian MacDougall

In 2015, New Mexico lawmakers unanimously passed a bill to all but end civil asset forfeiture, the process that lets police keep cash or property they seize, even if they never charge the owner with a crime, so long as they suspect that it’s linked to criminal activity. High-profile lawsuits and press attention had prompted some states to reexamine their forfeiture laws. Continue reading →