DETROIT, April 16 /PRNewswire/ The automobiles of over 6,000 customers of
vice markets in the neighborhoods and business areas of Wayne County were
seized in 1996 and more than $2.4 million dollars collected for enhanced vice
law enforcement, said Wayne County Prosecutor John O'Hair.

"Save Our Neighborhood" is the program which targets the customers of the
prostitution trade. When a police officer has established probable cause to
believe that the customer is using the public streets to solicit
prostitution, police officers seize the vehicles and announce their intent to
abate. Since these are civil cases, an offer to settle is routinely made and
generally accepted. Last year, in the Save Our Neighborhood Program, 3,802
vehicles were seized. Of these, 432 vehicles were auctioned off and the
owners of another 2,404 paid the redemption price to buy their vehicles back
from the claim of forfeiture. In total, Save Our Neighborhood generated
$1,712,000.

"PushOff" is the enforcement program aimed at the recreational buyers of
drugs. In 1996, the PushOff program seized, and announced an intent to
forfeit, 2,273 cars. Again, because this is a civil claim, standard offers
to settle were made.

Of the cars seized under the PushOff Program, 531 were sold at auction, and
the owners of another 770 bought their cars back from the claim of
forfeiture. The total generated for enhanced antidrug law enforcement was
$703,800.

The recidivism rate for these two programs remain low. In 1996, the case of
the antiprostitution program, the recidivism rate was 2%. In the case of
recreational drug buyers, it was 7.6%.

Commenting on 1996 results, Prosecutor O'Hair said: "It is amazing to me that
the customers of vice markets are such slow learners. With all the publicity
these programs have received, the over 6,000 who last year lost their
vehicles have only themselves to blame."