The South Carolina Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights announces its forthcoming study of the impact of civil asset forfeiture on communities of color in the state. The Committee will convene a series of meetings during which they will hear public testimony regarding the extent to which civil asset forfeiture practices in South Carolina may have a discriminatory impact on the basis of race, color, or national origin.
The first meeting will take place via web conference on Thursday December 2, 2021 at 12:00 Eastern Time. The public may register for the event online (audio/visual), at: https://tinyurl.com/7yesukmt. The public may also join the call by phone (audio only) at 1-800-360-9505; Access code 2760 200 2742.
The agenda for this first panel of speakers includes:
- Robert Frommer, Senior Attorney, Institute of Justice
- Marian Williams, Department of Government and Justice Studies, Appalachian State University
The Committee will hear testimony from additional speakers to be scheduled in 2022. Members of the public will be invited to speak during an open comment period at the end of each briefing. The Committee will also accept written testimony submitted to ero@usccr.gov throughout the duration of this project.
“South Carolina’s civil-asset forfeiture law sets a low legal standard and allows police to seize cars, cash, and other assets from people who are never charged with a crime,” said Ted Mauro, chair of the Advisory Committee. “The law gives police and prosecutors a financial incentive to seize assets and net millions of dollars annually. The Committee will look at whether the law disproportionately impacts communities of color in South Carolina.”
The South Carolina Advisory Committee will issue findings and recommendations in a report to the Commission after all testimony has been received.