Shining a light on civil asset forfeiture reform

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Watchdog.org:

This year, if history holds, Texas law enforcement officers and prosecutors will pocket most of about $60 million in cash and property taken from people in asset seizures.

 

Since the beginning of this century, criminal justice officials have vacuumed up more than half a billion dollars on the pretext of suspicion, no arrest or conviction necessary.

 

State law places the burden of proof on the innocent, whether they are proven guilty or not. And while there is a growing and focused effort to correct the injustice, powerful figures in law enforcement and government have resisted changing the law in Texas.

 

To make matters worse, the Department of Justice last week announced it was resuming something it calls“equitable sharing,” a program that allows local law enforcement to circumvent state laws and make property seizures under federal law and share the spoils.

 

The Texas Public Policy Foundation is hosting a panel discussion of this practice, civil asset forfeiture, beginning with a lunch at 11:30 am Thursday, April 7 at the foundation office, 901 Congress Ave. in Austin.

 

The event is free and open to the public.