Prosecution for Profit

The Institute for Justice is trying to get three district attorneys in Utah to obey the law. According to a January report from State Auditor Auston G. Johnson, the prosecutors are "disregarding" Initiative B, a voter-approved law requiring that proceeds from forfeitures go to education and crime victims rather than law enforcement agencies. The initiative, approved in 2000 by 69 percent of voters, was aimed at eliminating the perverse incentives created when police and prosecutors have a financial stake in forfeiture cases. But the district attorneys of Weber, Salt Lake, and Davis counties decided to keep at least $237,000 in forfeiture money anyway. Now the Institute for Justice, which successfully fought New Jersey's practice of giving forfeiture money to law enforcement agencies, is demanding that Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff, a leading opponent of Initiative B, make sure it's obeyed.

Comments

[James]

Another piece of evidence to support the conspiracy that suggests drugs will never be decriminalized due to the profits made by the government via prohibition. How else will the precinct get a new fleet of cruisers or the DA office getting new computers? A bake sale?

Jacob: your new book is a good read.

[Anonymous]

"proceeds from forfeitures go to education and crime victims "

I'm a victim of education. Where's my money?

[Anonymous]

Wanna buy a lottery ticket?

Anyone?

[Warren]

I say again: "Any time the state profits from enforcing the law, corruption is inevitable."

Still, I'm getting to like the IfJ (one month ago I didn't even know they existed). The embers of hope are not yet quenched.

[Ms.McKillicuddy]

Warren, if you come here often enough, you'd be surprised at the things you learn: new ideas, new web sites, new institutions.

By the way -- one douses embers; one quenches thirst. But we got the gist of your metaphor. ;}

Just be generous when you send that check to the IFJ, will you?

http://www.ij.org/index.shtml

[Warren]

from dictionary.com
quench ( P ) Pronunciation Key (kwnch)
tr.v. quenched, quench?ing, quench?es
To put out (a fire, for example); extinguish.
To suppress; squelch: The disapproval of my colleagues quenched my enthusiasm for the plan.
To put an end to; destroy.
To slake; satisfy: Mineral water quenched our thirst.
To cool (hot metal) by thrusting into water or other liquid

[Ms. McKillicuddy]

I stand corrected. (I looked it up, too.)
In my school, we always reserved quench or slake for thirst, and douse or besprinkle for embers.

But thanks for the edification. I told you we'd learn new things here (plural.)

In that vein, (and movin' on) I must say that Sullum's book is indeed a good read.