The Department of Justice's Asset Forfeiture Program is a nationwide law enforcement program that continues to be an effective and powerful strategy in the fight against crime.

Purpose: The primary mission of the Department of Justice Asset Forfeiture Program is to employ asset forfeiture powers in a manner that enhances public safety and security. This is accomplished by removing the proceeds of crime and other assets relied upon by criminals and their associates to perpetuate their criminal activity against our society. Asset forfeiture has the power to disrupt or dismantle criminal organizations that would continue to function if we only convicted and incarcerated specific individuals.

Scope: The Department of Justice Asset Forfeiture Program encompasses the seizure and forfeiture of assets that represent the proceeds of, or were used to facilitate federal crimes. Forfeiture may proceed under either administrative or judicial processes. Further, the DOJ program applies only to cases developed by enforcement officials in certain agencies of the Federal Government.

State and local government agencies and some international law enforcement agencies may have similar efforts, operating under the authority of international, local or state laws. Those efforts are not part of the US Department of Justice Asset Forfeiture Program.

Reports to Congress: The Department is required to submit specific reports to Congress each year regarding the activities of the Assets Forfeiture Fund.

Participants and Roles: The Justice Asset Forfeiture Program includes activity by DOJ components and several components outside the Department. Each component plays an important role in the Program.

The Fund: The Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984 established the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund to receive the proceeds of forfeiture and to pay the costs associated with such forfeitures, including the costs of managing and disposing of property, satisfying valid liens, mortgages, and other innocent owner claims, and costs associated with accomplishing the legal forfeiture of the property.

Other Asset Forfeiture Programs operate under authority of the Department of Treasury.

E-FOIA Reading Room and Other Forfeiture Related Material: Links are provided here for forfeiture related material in Departmental FOIA reading rooms. For example the Annual Reports on the Assets Forfeiture Fund from 1990 through 1996 can be found in the Justice Management Division reading room.  Other Asset Forfeiture Program Audits and Reports

The document below is an Adobe Acrobat (PDF) file which requires the Adobe Acrobat Reader software. Download the Reader. 

Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000

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