Florida Moves to Reform Controversial Police Practice

Often, police and prosecutors relentlessly pursue forfeiture cases, even in highly questionable situations where the evidence is weak or nonexistent

Jason Snead, --March 11, 2016

| Comments | Reader Friendly | Subscribe | Email Us


The Florida state Senate recently voted unanimously in support of a major civil forfeiture reform package. On Tuesday the Florida House of Representatives followed suit, voting 116-0 in favor of the bill. Forfeiture reform has won the full-throated support of state legislators. Now the bill heads to the desk of Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican, who has 15 days to sign or veto the bill.
Civil forfeiture is a law enforcement tool that empowers federal, state, and local agencies to seize property they suspect has been involved in, or represents the fruits of, illegal activity. Because forfeiture targets property, not people, no charges need be filed nor any convictions obtained in order to strip an individual of his home, car, or life’s savings. In most states and at the federal level, the agency that did the seizing then gets to keep the property and proceeds and spend the money with little or no oversight. More...

View Comments
Heritage Foundation——

The Heritage Foundation is the nation’s most broadly supported public policy research institute, with more than 453,000 individual, foundation and corporate donors. Heritage, founded in February 1973,  mission is
to formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense.