Bringing in the bucks through fines, fees, and what have you, the Eastern District of Tennessee's U.S. Attorney's Office has had quite a haul this past fiscal year. In a report that didn't skimp on the figures, U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III ticked off a total of over $22 million collected in both criminal and civil actions, to be exact, the office gathered $22,332,003.83, as announced by the Department of Justice.
Criminals didn't just serve time; they paid up $10,674,477.21, while civil actions, which may sound less gritty, didn’t fall short, bringing in $11,657,526.62, all of which the U.S. Attorney's Office accounted for to the cent yet what might not make headlines but surely adds up, is the $5,043,741 collected in asset forfeiture actions, working with partner agencies, funds were pulled back from the dark corners and deposited into the virtuous coffers of justice—or so we're told.
When it comes down to where all this money goes, it's not just into the vast abyss of federal budgets. Defendants, for instance, are mandated by law to serve up restitution to victims—those left bruised physically or fiscally by federal crimes. Sure, victims get their due, but let's not forget the criminal fines and assessments piling into the Department’s Crime Victims Fund. This pot gets stirred and then doled out to support federal and state victim compensation—and not to be overlooked, assistance programs.
Now, what happens to all those forfeited assets? As per the Department of Justice's announcement, they don't just get locked away to gather dust; they're recycled back into use, helping to restore some semblance of balance for crime victims, and let's just say, for a whole host of law enforcement uses—perhaps, they even buy a few new toys for the good guys that are out there every day, keeping the wheels of justice turning, hopefully, in the right direction.
