News

MISSOURI NEWS: ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC SCHMITT HOSTS SAFE KIT INITIATIVE MULTI-DISCIPLINARY GROUP
— Marty Smith, STL News, Mar 14, 2019

Missouri Attorney General's office hosted their multi-disciplinary group meeting to further discuss and share input on how to proceed regarding previously unsubmitted sexual assault kits. Attendees included victim advocates, law enforcement, hospital, and healthcare representatives.

Behind Every Kit Is An Individual’: Investigators Examine Hundreds Of Untested Rape Kits
— Jennifer Mayerle, 4 WCCO CBS Minnesota, Mar 11, 2019

Duluth, Minnesota has submitted all of their previously unsubmitted sexual assault kits to the state crime lab for testing. 418 kits were submitted, 203 DNA profiles were uploaded to CODIS, and 116 hits in CODIS.

Cuyahoga County Sexual Assault Kit Task Force nears indictment in 800th victim's case: By the numbers
— Rachel Dissell, Cleveland.com, Mar 10, 2019

As of the end of February, the Cuyahoga County Sexual Assault Task Force has completed 4,179 investigations, 719 defendants have been indicted, and 92.7% of the cases that made it to court resulted in a conviction.

Man pleads guilty to 24-year-old sexual assault
— MetroNews, Mar 9, 2019

DNA from a 1995 previously unsubmitted sexual assault kit leds to an arrest in West Virginia.

DA gives update on rape kit backlog
— Matthew Reisen, Albuquerque Journal, Mar 7, 2019

The Bernalillo County DA says that they have screened over half of the previously unsubmitted sexual assault kits submitted to them. They have charged four people in connection to backlogged cases.

Georgia lawmakers work to end state rape kit backlog
— Ashley Bridges, WJBF 6, Mar 7, 2019

Team members from the GA SAKI taskforce emphasize the importance of understanding the lives of victims that are affected by testing sexual assault kits.

WV testing inventory of sexual assualt kits, contributing to national DNA database
— Staff Reports, WVNews, Mar 7, 2019

During the process of testing their nearly 2,400 previously unsubmitted sexual assault kits, West Virginia State Police has entered nearly 300 DNA profiles into CODIS, and received 106 hits.

New Akron detective unit revisits unsolved sex crimes
— Amanda Garrett, Akron Beacon Journal, Mar 1, 2019

The Akron Sexual Assault Initiative (ASAKI) held their first multi-disciplinary team meting to discuss cold case sexual assaults that are associated with previously unsubmitted sexual assault kits.

Sex offender charged in 2006 Jacksonville rape
— Tarik Minor, News 4 JAX, Mar 1, 2019

DNA evidence from a 2006 previously unsubmitted sexaul assualt kit in Jacksonville, FL led to the arrest of a man who has previously been charged and served time for multiple sexually based crimes.

Study looks into sexual assault justice
— Shady Grove Oliver, The Arctic Sounder, Mar 1, 2019

The University of Alaska Justice Center is partnering with Alaska SAKI to research law enforcement's response to sexual assault survivors and the outcomes sexual assault survivors face in the justice system.