Police agencies and civil asset forfeiture: An organizational perspective

Abstract

Many police departments across the United States seize property from community members in a process referred to as civil asset forfeiture. While the use of this practice varies across departments, few studies have examined how police organizational structure may influence how agencies may use this tool. Using data from the 2016 & 2020 waves of the Law Enforcement Management & Administration Survey (LEMAS), we examine how organizational constructs influence whether and how frequently agencies collect asset forfeiture revenue. Findings suggest that a range of organizational and community-policing metrics influence civil asset forfeiture across both waves. Measures of professionalization were related to civil asset forfeiture in 2016, but not 2020.