The 'social re-use' of confiscated assets: Advancing towards a much-needed definition

Phillips, Amber; Dale, Gregory

Abstract

There are growing calls to ensure that assets confiscated through proceeds of crime legislation are used for the public interest or social purposes (aka 'social re-use'). The social re-use of confiscated assets is promoted by politicians, government bodies, and think tanks, and has even found its way into such instruments as EU Directive 2024/1260 and the Financial Action Task Force's International Standards on Combating Money Laundering the Financing of Terrorism & Proliferation. However, the phrase 'social re-use' encompasses a variety of competing purposes.

This paper questions whether it is time to build a consensus on what constitutes the 'social re-use' of assets, or whether it is better to leave it undefined. Adopting a comparative approach, the authors explore conceptualisations of social reuse in two specific contexts: England and Wales, and Australia. Drawing on documentary analysis, and early empirical findings from a project investigating perceptions of social reuse in England and Wales, the paper explores the often-conflicting conceptualisations of social reuse that emerge both within and across jurisdictions, institutions, and government bodies.

The paper lays out a range of interpretations of social reuse, and maps areas of conflict and consensus, arguing that there are potential risks associated with applying ‘social reuse’ as a catch-all term. It is hoped that this paper acts a catalyst for a wider discussion concerning the goals of proceeds of crime legislation.

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Abstract
• Conference Name: Socio-Legal Studies Annual Conference 2025
• Start Date: Apr 15, 2025
• End Date: Apr 17, 2025
• Deposit Date: May 2, 2025
• Peer Reviewed: Not Peer Reviewed
• Keywords: Asset Recovery; Economic Crime; Financial Crime; Social Reuse
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/14401622