Large number of law agencies clear backlog of sexual assault kits

BY EMMA LINGO

Missouri News Network

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt announced Monday that 169 law enforcement agencies have managed to clear all of their untested, reported sexual assault kits. There were 3,298 in total.

A Missourian investigation in late 2017 revealed the number of untested sexual assault evidence kits in Missouri was unknown. Former Attorney General Josh Hawley announced shortly after the investigation that his office would conduct an audit, and he started the sexual assault forensic evidence (SAFE) kits initiative. Judge M. Keithley Williams took charge of the initiative and has been credited with its results.

Law enforcement agencies have been tackling the backlog since the audit was announced. This meant handling all of their reported, untested ‘rape kits’ and sending them to be processed. These kits contain DNA profiles from alleged perpetrators, and they have been sent to the FBI to be run through CODIS, or the Combined DNA Index System. The system is a nationwide database that contains DNA profiles of criminal offenders.

“Not only is this an incredible milestone, but it’s my hope that it sends the message to victims across Missouri that I take this incredibly, personally serious, and that my office will continue our hard work to honor the sacrifice, bravery and courage it takes to submit to a sexual assault kit,” Schmitt said. “While this is a major accomplishment, there is still work to be done.”

So far, three kits have brought forth prosecutions and returned DNA matches; one case was from Boone County.

To help prevent future backlogs, the state has created a central repository for untested, unreported sexual assault kits and a kit-tracking website.

“This is an excellent start,” Jennifer Hickam, interim director of True North of Columbia, said. “There is still more to do. Many of our reported, untested kits have been cleared, and that has been a big step in the right direction.”