• [ network ]
  • goatmatrix.net
  • gvid.tv
  • img.gvid.tv
  • games.gvid.tv
  • apps.gvid.tv
HomeUploadUpload DirectHotlinkRandomAbouttheme toggle
Expand

Bad Rules Make Bad Cops: Bart Wilson on The Economics of Civil Forfeiture

Views:856
@ReasonVids

"When you give police the power of civil asset forfeiture, they've got to choose between themselves or the public," says experimental economist Bart Wilson. "Why do we want to put them in that position?"

Civil asset forfeiture is the process whereby police seize any property or money associated with a suspected crime, often drug-related. If the owner wants the seized property back, he or she must spend an often considerable amount of time and money to prove in court that the property wasn't used in the commission of a crime. As Jacob Sullum explained earlier this month, it's easy for innocent third parties to lose thousands of dollars in the process.

In many states, the law permits police departments to auction off the seized assets and keep the cash. Critics say this system incentivizes "policing for profit" at the expense of innocent members of the community, while proponents argue that it motivates police officers to do their jobs better and funds police departments by "taxing criminals."

Wilson, a professor of economics at Chapman University, and his co-author Michael Preciado designed a study to reveal how the incentives set forth under civil forfeiture affect human behavior. In the study, one undergraduate student plays the role of law enforcement in a computer game, and three others play the roles of the public. Subjects played for real money, and Wilson says the results were overwhelming.

"It's not a few people just abusing it. This is the modal tendency: to abuse," says Wilson, who points out that subjects are more likely than not to help others in games when there's no financial cost of doing so. "For me, that's pretty strong evidence that it's the rules that are creating the incentives for them to police for profit."

To see a fuller explanation of the study's methodology and its results, watch the video above.

Approximately 8 minutes. Produced by Zach Weissmueller. Camera by Alex Manning.

Visit http://www.reason.com/reasontv for downloadable versions of this video, and subscribe to Reason TV's YouTube channel for daily content like this.

asset forfeiture
,
civil asset forfeiture
,
policing for profit
,
policing
,
cops
,
police abuse
,
economics
,
experimental economics
,
chapman university
,
libertarian
,
reason magazine
    Thumbnail for 5 Lessons Police MUST Learn from the Military on Crowd Control2:04
    5 Lessons Police MUST Learn from the Military on Crowd Control
    ReasonVids
    928 views
    Thumbnail for This Environmentalist Says Only Nuclear Power Can Save Us Now21:45
    This Environmentalist Says Only Nuclear Power Can Save Us Now
    ReasonVids
    1102 views
    Thumbnail for If Man United Lose This Final It’s Over 😮💔 #shorts | Sport Snaps 0:40
    If Man United Lose This Final It’s Over 😮💔 #shorts | Sport Snaps
    invidious
    104 views
    Thumbnail for The Coloreds that Cured the Coronaflu 1:30
    The Coloreds that Cured the Coronaflu
    bestofvoatxyz
    758 views
    Thumbnail for Doom II - 6 levels on Nightmare-Stroller | megasphere3086:56
    Doom II - 6 levels on Nightmare-Stroller | megasphere308
    invidious
    460 views
    Thumbnail for Thank You for 20 Years of God of War - A Tribute to Kratos | PS5, PS4 & PC Games | PlayStation4:49
    Thank You for 20 Years of God of War - A Tribute to Kratos | PS5, PS4 & PC Games | PlayStation
    invidious
    146 views
    Thumbnail for Self-Driving Cars Will Make Most Auto Safety Regulations Unnecessary7:08
    Self-Driving Cars Will Make Most Auto Safety Regulations Unnecessary
    ReasonVids
    1165 views
    Thumbnail for Boondoggle in the Motor City: Detroit's Train to Nowhere5:48
    Boondoggle in the Motor City: Detroit's Train to Nowhere
    ReasonVids
    924 views
    Thumbnail for While tons of faggots are going full retard on the assassination psyop, the BBC interviews a guy claiming cops ignored him pointing out the shooter crawling on the roof.4:29
    While tons of faggots are going full retard on the assassination psyop, the BBC interviews a guy claiming cops ignored him pointing out the shooter crawling on the roof.
    bestofupgoat
    275 views
    Thumbnail for We love urban crack @WideBoyz | Noah Kane0:51
    We love urban crack @WideBoyz | Noah Kane
    invidious
    449 views
    Thumbnail for 김성현 알튜브 4월 20일 방송 FULL | [ALTUBE] 김성현TV4:44:31
    김성현 알튜브 4월 20일 방송 FULL | [ALTUBE] 김성현TV
    invidious
    160 views
    Thumbnail for Granny Theft Auto0:35
    Granny Theft Auto
    publicfreakouts
    817 views
    Thumbnail for 24/7 Christmas Music 2024 Playlist 🎄 Top 100 Christmas Songs of All Time 🎄 Pop Christmas Songs | Cozy Melody1:00
    24/7 Christmas Music 2024 Playlist 🎄 Top 100 Christmas Songs of All Time 🎄 Pop Christmas Songs | Cozy Melody
    invidious
    428 views
    Thumbnail for TSA "My Ding-a-Ling" Sing-Along0:54
    TSA "My Ding-a-Ling" Sing-Along
    ReasonVids
    1029 views
    Thumbnail for Graphics Cards for $8?! | META PCs0:49
    Graphics Cards for $8?! | META PCs
    invidious
    163 views
    Thumbnail for LIVE: পদত্যাগ করে দেশ ছেড়েছেন শেখ হাসিনা, রাজপথে মানুষের ঢল, সেনাপ্রধানের ভাষণ | Independent TV4:43:49
    LIVE: পদত্যাগ করে দেশ ছেড়েছেন শেখ হাসিনা, রাজপথে মানুষের ঢল, সেনাপ্রধানের ভাষণ | Independent TV
    invidious
    284 views
    Thumbnail for If Bill Gates is Henry Reardon, Who is Paul Krugman? An Interview with Donald Luskin6:08
    If Bill Gates is Henry Reardon, Who is Paul Krugman? An Interview with Donald Luskin
    ReasonVids
    1006 views
    Thumbnail for Chill rank nào | TRÂU TFT1:00
    Chill rank nào | TRÂU TFT
    invidious
    168 views
    Thumbnail for Memed Into the Public Domain? The Battle for Pepe the Frog.8:23
    Memed Into the Public Domain? The Battle for Pepe the Frog.
    ReasonVids
    1075 views
    Thumbnail for Let’s Try Japanese Snacks | Bento Club0:45
    Let’s Try Japanese Snacks | Bento Club
    invidious
    167 views
    Thumbnail for Much bigger simulation, AIs learn Phalanx | Pezzza's Work29:13
    Much bigger simulation, AIs learn Phalanx | Pezzza's Work
    invidious
    196 views
    Thumbnail for Meet the new boss of Twitter, same as the old boss11:48
    Meet the new boss of Twitter, same as the old boss
    bestofvoatxyz
    809 views
    Thumbnail for Clown World0:41
    Clown World
    bestofupgoat
    372 views
    Thumbnail for Biden To PARDON FAUCI!! Liz Cheney & More! | The Jimmy Dore Show23:42
    Biden To PARDON FAUCI!! Liz Cheney & More! | The Jimmy Dore Show
    invidious
    193 views
    Thumbnail for The Government Hates Boobs3:19
    The Government Hates Boobs
    ReasonVids
    989 views

points

Permalink
Reply
asset forfeiture
,
civil asset forfeiture
,
policing for profit
,
policing
,
cops
,
police abuse
,
economics
,
experimental economics
,
chapman university
,
libertarian
,
reason magazine
TOS  •  Add Keywords  •  Donate  •   Analytics  •   DMCA  •   Puzzle