The Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution was adopted on December 15, 1791, as part of the Bill of Rights. It states that "Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted". The amendment prohibits some punishments entirely and forbids other punishments that are excessive when compared to the crime or the competence of the perpetrator. The Cruel and Unusual Punishments Clause is the most important and controversial part of the Eighth Amendment. It prohibits "barbaric" methods of punishment, and if the federal government tried to bring back such methods of punishment, it would violate the Eighth Amendment. The Cruel and Unusual Punishments Clause also limits state power, as the Fourteenth Amendment prohibits states from abridging "the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States" and from depriving "any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law". The "excessive fines" clause surfaces in cases of civil and criminal forfeiture, for example, when property is seized during a drug raid.