Forfeiture in Arizona Before Reform: Why Concerns About Abuse Were Justified

In 2021, the Arizona Legislature enacted sweeping forfeiture reforms. The reforms were motivated by concerns that forfeiture was being used to take property like cash and cars from ordinary people who had never been convicted of any crime, with little transparency or accountability. While it is too soon to say whether the 2021 reforms are working as intended, Forfeiture in Arizona Before Reform uses more than four years’ worth of forfeiture data leading up to the reforms to illustrate how forfeiture in the state was putting innocent people at risk. The implication is clear: Lawmakers’ concerns about abuse were warranted.