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Spring 2016

ISSN 0890-913X

Volume 31, Number 1

Categories: Spring 2016 | Law

Don't Steal; The Government Hates Competition: The Problem with Civil Asset Forfeiture

Daniel Y. Rothschild, George Mason University

Walter E. Block, Loyola University New Orleans

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TheJournalofPrivateEnterprise31(1),2016,45–56Don’tSteal;TheGovernmentHatesCompetition:TheProblemwithCivilAssetForfeitureDanielY.RothschildGeorgeMasonUniversityWalterE.BlockLoyolaUniversity,NewOrleans______________________________________________________AbstractGovernmentsoriginallymeantforcivilassetforfeiturelawstotaketheprofitoutofcrimeandshowthatcrimeliterallydoesnotpay.Sincegovernmentskeeptheseizedassetsforthemselves,however,theselawsleadtoperverseincentives.Insteadofpoliceusingresourcestofightcrimethathasactualvictims,policegoafterdrugbuyerstofindassetstoseizetoincreasethepolicebudget.Thispaperattemptstoshowthatpoliceareordinary,rationalpeoplewhoattempttomaximizetheirwelfare.Policeunionslobbytoblockregulationsthatlimitforfeiturelaws;seizedassetsanddrugarrestshavegoneupwhiledrugusagehasnot.Insteadoftryingtoreducecrime,thepolicebecomethecriminalsbytakinghonestpeople’sbelongings.Thispaperalsoshowstheeffectofforfeitureondrugpricesandhowlawenforcementhasnoincentivetoreducearrestsforvictimlesscrimes.______________________________________________________JELCodes:H0,H1,H10Keywords:theft,government,competition,civilassetforfeiture“Vicesarethoseactsbywhichamanharmshimselforhisproperty.Crimesarethoseactsbywhichonemanharmsthepersonorpropertyofanother.Vicesaresimplytheerrorswhichamanmakesinhissearchafterhisownhappiness.Unlikecrimes,theyimplynomalicetowardothers,andnointerferencewiththeirpersonsorproperty.Invices,theveryessenceofcrime—thatis,thedesigntoinjurethepersonorpropertyofanother—iswanting.Itisamaximofthelawthattherecanbenocrimewithoutacriminalintent;thatis,withouttheintenttoinvadethepersonorpropertyofanother.Butnooneeverpracticesavicewithanysuchcriminalintent.Hepracticeshisviceforhisownhappinesssolely,andnotfromanymalicetowardothers.Unlessthiscleardistinctionbetweenvicesandcrimesbemadeandrecognizedbythelaws,therecanbeonearthnosuchthingasindividualright,liberty,orproperty;nosuchthingsastherightofonemantothecontrolofhisownpersonandproperty,andthecorrespondingandcoequalrights

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Title	Don't Steal; The Government Hates Competition: The Problem with Civil Asset Forfeiture
Authors/Creators:	Daniel Y. Rothschild, George Mason University Walter E. Block, Loyola University New Orleans
Year:	2016
Volume:	31
Number:	1
Pages:	45 - 56
Publisher:	The Association of Private Enterprise Education
ISSN:	0890-913X
Document Type:	Articles
Keywords:	theft, government, competition, civil asset forfeiture

Citation:
Rothschild, Daniel Y.; Block, Walter E. / 2016. "Don't Steal; The Government Hates Competition: The Problem with Civil Asset Forfeiture." The Journal of Private Enterprise, 31(1): 45-56.