Date: Thu, 31 Aug 1995 14:54:32 -0700
Message-Id: <199508312154.OAA14561@mail.ucsd.edu>
From: mbelmonte@ucsd.edu (Matthew Belmonte)
To: senator@boxer.senate.gov (Barbara Boxer)
Subject: companion legislation to HR

As your constituent, I write in support of the prospect of a Senate companion
bill to HR 1916, the Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act.  Asset forfeiture has
grown out of control in the past decade.  People who are charged with a crime
have a right to due process of law before being deprived of property.  Sadly,
the same has not been true for those not charged but merely suspected of a
crime or associated with a crime.  Current asset forfeiture laws allow property
to be confiscated without compensation even if no charges are ever proven, and
even if the owner of the property had no knowledge that the property was
being used in criminal activity.  The current system of asset forfeiture is
unfair and has no place in a democratic society.