The part that bothers me, is that “the taking” seems to be arbitrary, even before there is a verdict of guilty.
I wouldn’t be entirely comfortable with takings, but if it could be proven that a major portion of the payments to purchase the family home, vehicles, RVs, and other perks, were provided by selling drugs or any other violation of serious criminal codes, I could buy into confiscation.
Confiscations should not benefit anyone involved with law enforcement, the judicial system, or another entity that was involve in charges, arrests, or convictions.
That may be repetitive, but I want to make sure there is not an incentive to go after people, just because your department or even yourself will benefit from it.
See the links in #24 above to see how it's been abused.
A few years ago my wife’s car was totaled. I took the insurance money of many thousands of dollars in cash and went to a dealership to buy her a new car.
Oddly under the insane forfeiture laws if stopped by a cop I would have been subject to forfeiture. To do this all they would have needed to do is cast suspicion on me as a drug dealer. Actually I am a drug dealer. I am a registered pharmacist in the great state of Texas. At that time I was not aware of these insane laws. I would not do this again.