News

Governor signs sexual assault bill
— Makayla Clark, KTVA, Jun 29, 2018

Governor Bill Walker signed a bill into law requiring untested SAKs be reported yearly, reporting of sexual assault to be victim centered, and requires police academies to have 12 hours of sexual assault training.

Never Tested | 15-Year-Old Rape Kit Leads Police to Accused Georgia Serial Rapist
— Christopher Buchanan, WLTX19, Jun 28, 2018

DNA from a previously untested SAK identifies a serial sexual offender. He has now been indicted for a series of sexual assaults that occurred between 2001-2005.

Sexual Assault Kit Initiative Results in Conviction of Curtis Williams
— Portland Police Bureau, Jun 28, 2018

Testing results from Portland Police Bureau's Sexual Assault Kit Initiative lead to conviction in 2011 case. The man was previously convicted of rape in 1986.

SAKI TTA Webinar: Sexual Assault Kit (SAK) Evidence Tracking: From the Voices of Experience
— SAKI TTA, Jun 27, 2018

This webinar was presented by two SAKI sites including the Portland Police Bureau and Washington State. Idaho State Police also presented. Idaho State Police Forensic Services developed a sexual assault kit tracking tool from scratch with an in-house team and programmers. After becoming the first state-wide sexual assault kit tracking system in the country to be fully functional, Idaho State Police Forensic Services have continued to refine the system and account for every SAK on law enforcement shelves in Idaho. Portland Police Bureau presented on understanding the benefits of an evidence tracking system by analyzing user needs and leveraging the data agencies already collect.

SAKI TTA Webinar: Cross-Examining the Defendant: Seizing the Opportunity for Justice
— SAKI TTA, Jun 20, 2018

This webinar was presented by Patti D. Powers (JD), Attorney Advisor at AEquitas. Cross-examination of a defendant is one of the most singular opportunities in a trial for a prosecutor to show the jury who the defendant is and what the defendant did to the victim. In a cold case sexual assault, the passage of time usually only amplifies the potential returns inherent in cross-examination. Developing a cross-examination strategy may not be initially apparent to a prosecutor. However, the same principles of planning and preparation that went into building the rest of the prosecution case can also be applied to effective and dispositive defendant cross-examinations.

Montana DOJ Announces the Launch of a New Website and Hotline for Sexual Assault Survivors
— Montana Department of Justice, Jun 19, 2018

The Montana DOJ launched a new website where survivors of sexual assault can locate resources and get updates about Montana's Sexual Assault Kit Initiative.

Rape kit leads to new charges
— Austin Montgomery, Beloit Daily News, Jun 15, 2018

Testing resulting from Wisconsin's Sexual Assault Kit Initiative leads to charges in a case from 2000. The man charged is a serial sexual offender.

Sex offender arrested on murder charge after Highland Park victim dies 30 years later
— Tasha Tsiaperas, Dallas News, Jun 13, 2018

DNA testing funded by SAKI leads to the arrest of a serial sexual offender for the rape and strangulation of a Dallas woman.

Efforts to clear Kentucky's rape kit backlog appear to be working
— Mark Vanderhoff, WLKY, Jun 12, 2018

A draft report from Kentucky's research partner, the University of Louisville, finds law enforcement agencies in the state are submitting more evidence from sexual assault kits than previous years.

New DPS online tool allows victims to track sexual assault kits
— Rosie Nguyen, Good4Utah.com, Jun 6, 2018

The Utah Department of Public Safety and Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice announced the launch of a statewide evidence tracking system. Survivors can access real-time information about their SAK through the system.