Libertarian protectors of peace, justice, and the American way Institute for Justice launched a new case yesterday to straighten out Georgia’s unjust civil asset forfeiture system.
Check out their latest video explaining what’s gone wrong in Georgia, and what needs to be changed:
Georgia law allows police to seize private property if officers believe that property was used or involved in criminal activity. Police can keep citizens’ property even if the individual is not convicted, even if the individual is never actually charged.
Worse, while Georgia asks law enforcement agencies to give annual reports of what they’ve taken under civil asset forfeiture laws, most departments never file these reports. Individuals’ private property seized under mere suspicion becomes part of slush funds the public can neither see nor access.
IJ’s website quotes one Georgia client:
Congress amended federal civil forfeiture laws in 2000 after a number of high-profile cases exposed enormous abuse of the system. State laws have yet to see similar change.
Find more information on IJ’s case here; check here and here for info about civil asset forfeiture in general.
