Indiana Police Reviewing Why 2,500 Assault Kits Are Untested

The Associated Press reports at least 2,500 untested rape kits are sitting for reasons unknown at police departments and evidence rooms across the state, according to an audit released Friday by law enforcement officials. AP says Indiana State Police conducted a review recently at the request of lawmakers, as pressure on law enforcement agencies and elected officials to take sexual assault more seriously continues to grow. Similar reviews done by government and state officials across the U.S. have turned up thousands of untested rape kits, AP reports.

On Friday police said 5,396 untested kits were reported by departments across the state. AP adds that about half of those kits are linked to instances where a case could move forward without the evidence, no crime was reported, or authorities determined an assault wasn't committed.

However, AP says that leaves a minimum of 2,560 kits that were not tested for reasons which remain unclear, adding it's also unclear how old some of those are.

Officials promised to process some of the untested kits and enter DNA evidence into a national database, however testing will probably require additional funding as resting can cost upward of $1,200 per kit.

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Rick Bowmer/Associated Press