SEIZED CASH:  Americans Struggle to Get Property Back

SEIZED CASH:  Americans Struggle to Get Property Back

From Beyond the Brief by Institue for Justice

June 5, 2026 · 41 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the challenges faced by Americans in recovering property taken through civil forfeiture.

In America, police and prosecutors can take your cash, your car, or even your home through a legal process called civil forfeiture—without convicting or even charging you with a crime. When they do, victims face a maze of short deadlines, complicated paperwork, and a system built so that the government often wins by default.  The Institute for Justice leads the fight against this abuse, in part by publishing Policing for Profit: the best and most complete analysis of civil forfeiture across all 50 states and the federal government. And we’ve just released the Fourth Edition.  Today we talk with IJ’s Senior Director of Strategic Research Lisa Knepper and IJ senior attorney Kirby West. We’re breaking down what the report found, how we built it, and what forfeiture looks like from the perspective of the people who have had property taken and had to fight to get it back.  https://youtu.be/KhXDBOJcXzY Become a Monthly Donor Are you looking for a rewarding and consistent way to support IJ’s work?  Become a member of our Merry Band of Monthly Donors and stand shoulder to shoulder with our clients every month of the year. Donate now

People in this episode

Guests: Lisa Knepper, Kirby West

Topics covered

  • civil forfeiture
  • property rights
  • legal system
  • government abuse
  • policing for profit

Keywords

  • civil forfeiture
  • property recovery
  • legal challenges
  • Institute for Justice
  • policing for profit

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Institute for Justice

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