The federal government, by taking Americans’ property through civil forfeiture, raked in more money last year than burglars did.
According to crime data from the FBI, and highlighted by the blog Armstrong Economics, federal law enforcement agencies took in more money through the proceeds of cash, property, and houses seized through civil forfeiture in 2014 than burglars did.
A report from the Institute for Justice found that last year, the Justice and Treasury Departments reported net assets—money left over after expenditures—of $4.5 billion in the agencies’ asset forfeiture funds. The Departments of Justice and Treasury deposited more than $5 billion total into their accounts in 2014.
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