Georgia has some of the worst civil forfeiture laws in the country.  But at least state law requires law enforcement to publicly report annual forfeiture proceeds and expenditures.  Public reporting ought to help check abuse and prevent forfeiture funds from becoming off-the-books slush funds.  

Unfortunately, Forfeiting Accountability, like an earlier state audit, finds that these reporting requirements are rarely followed.

In a random sample of 20 Georgia law enforcement agencies, only two were found to be reporting as required.  Of 15 major agencies in Georgia’s five most populous cities and counties, only one produced the required report.

At the same time, federal data indicate that Georgia police are taking in and using millions through forfeiture with little or no public accounting.

Georgia’s civil forfeiture laws are in need of reform.  But at the very least, law enforcement should follow the reporting laws already on the books.

Download Forfeiting Accountability [PDF]