Kathy and Mark Schrama were arrested just before Christmas 1990 at their home in New Jersey. Mark was charged with receiving stolen goods. If found guilty, they might have paid a small fine and received probation. The day after their arrest, their house, cars, and furniture were seized. The incentive for government agencies to expand forfeiture is enormous.
Agencies can easily seize property and they usually keep what they take.
Law enforcement agencies often keep the best seized cars, watches, and TVs for their departments, and sell the rest. Federal and state agencies seizing property now include the FBI, the DEA, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Coast Guard, the IRS, local police, state highway patrols, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the FDA, and the Bureau of Land Management. Asset forfeiture is a growth industry. Under civil seizure, property, not an individual, is charged with an offense. If government agents seize your property under civil asset forfeiture, you can forget about being innocent until proven guilty, due process of law, the right to an attorney, or even the right to trial.