22 yrs ago a juvenile was brutally raped, this month, CODIS DNA system identifies a health care executive Eric Ferguson

[Lonestarblue]

10. DNA is so important in finding and prosecuting these predators, yet thousands of rape kits sit untested.

“In 2022, at least 25,000 untested rape kits sat in law enforcement agencies and crime labs across the country. This figure only accounts for data reported by 30 states and Washington, DC; the total backlog number is unknown.

Untested rape kits can have significant consequences for both the criminal justice system and sexual assault survivors. Not only can rape kit testing provide crucial evidence that helps identify perpetrators and bring them to justice, it also can connect perpetrators to other assaults. Failing to test kits in a timely manner can mean missed opportunities to identify serial offenders and prevent further victimization.

The failure to submit rape kits for lab testing in numerous jurisdictions has decreased community trust in law enforcement. Survivors from Houston in 2020 to Memphis in 2023 have filed class action lawsuits against city officials for their rape kit backlogs, asserting that timely testing of rape kits could have prevented their own or others’ sexual assaults.”

https://usafacts.org/articles/how-many-rape-kits-are-awaiting-testing-in-the-us-see-the-data-by-state/