New Study Finds Forfeiture Doesn’t Fight Crime, Is Used to Raise Revenue

IJ’s Justin Wilson discusses “Does Forfeiture Work? Evidence from the States” with author Dr. Brian Kelly of Seattle University. The study is the first to look at whether state forfeiture actually fights crime or is instead used to “police for profit.” Looking at data from five states that use forfeiture extensively—Arizona, Hawaii, Iowa, Michigan and Minnesota—it finds forfeiture doesn’t work to fight crime but is used to raise revenue. These results are particularly salient during the COVID-19 pandemic, when local governments are facing budget shortfalls. They also add to mounting evidence that forfeiture fails to serve the public good, all while violating Americans’ property and due process rights, showing the pressing need for forfeiture reform.

Check out the report here: https://ij.org/report/does-forfeiture-work
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