Across the country, police use civil asset forfeiture as a tool in the War on Drugs. When the police deem property or money to be associated with a drug crime, they can seize it. Then, the owner has to prove that the assets were not connected with a crime. If they can't, they lose the assets forever -- even if they are not convicted of any crime. The police agency that seized the assets gets to keep them.
Tyson Timbs' seized Land Rover is returned to him, for now
Drug charges for a college student can result in expulsion
Attending college offers great educational opportunities. College also provides students the chance to make their own decisions without following a curfew, checking in, or providing mom or dad with every detail. For many high schoolers, college signals freedom.
Rethinking the Drug War around fentanyl and its analogues
In the 1980s and 1990s, both states and the federal government began to crack down on drug offenses at every level. Fighting drug crime was prioritized. Mandatory minimum sentence laws were passed. Prosecutors began stacking sentences to keep people in prison for longer.
Should a drug relapse on probation mean prison time?
Right now, Iowa and most jurisdictions deal with drug abuse almost exclusively through law enforcement. If you're caught with a prohibited drug, or one you don't have a prescription for, you can be arrested, charged and convicted of a criminal offense. In most cases, that means you'll be incarcerated -- with little to no access to drug treatment.
Iowa Supreme Ct: Immigration status OK to consider in sentencing
In 2018, a Mexican immigrant who had been brought to the U.S. as a teenager was convicted in Iowa of intent to deliver marijuana. During a 2017 traffic stop, officers allegedly found 184 one-pound bags of marijuana and a handgun in his car. Although he claimed he had been using the marijuana to treat back pain, Guillermo A. pled guilty to the charge.
Iowa's Good Samaritan Law seeks to save lives
Iowans should never have to choose between saving someone's life or putting themselves in legal jeopardy in the event of a drug overdose. That is the purpose behind the state's Good Samaritan Immunity Law enacted in 2018.
In Iowa, dealers in illicit drugs are required to get tax stamps
Many people call it a punitive measure or an extra punishment for distributing drugs. If you're caught dealing illegal drugs in Iowa, you may be charged with tax evasion if you didn't obtain excise tax stamps for what you sell. Having the stamps proves you've paid the required taxes.
Clearing up confusion: Are CBD products still illegal in Iowa?
On May 13, 2019, Iowa's governor signed the Iowa Hemp Act. Many supporters saw this as an opportunity for products containing hemp-derived Cannabidiol (CBD) to be manufactured, sold and bought within the state.
Diversion programs limit the consequences of criminal convictions
Diversion programs offer a way for people with minimal criminal histories to avoid becoming trapped in the criminal justice system.
Study: Asset forfeiture does little to reduce crime, drug use
A recent study released by the Institute for Justice, a libertarian-leading public interest law firm, calls into question a number of justifications for civil asset forfeiture. Contrary to claims by law enforcement, seizing property from criminal suspects does not appear to meaningfully reduce crime rates or lessen drug use. Far from being used to fight major drug traffickers, civil asset forfeiture is usually deployed against the poor and people of color.
