Backlog of 11K Abandoned Rape Kits Nearly Cleared

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Authorities are chipping away at backlog of rape kits, including more than 11,000 found abandoned in a Detroit police storage locker in 2009, as part of a national push to clear the backlog and change the way police deal with victims of sexual assault.

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy told the Detroit Free Press her office tested about 10,000 of the 11,341 kits found in the storage locker, resulting in the identification of 2,478 suspects – including 456 thought to be serial rapists – and 20 convictions. Another 114 cases are under active investigation. The investigations have reached jurisdictions in 32 states.

Clearing the backlog is one thing, but policies for handling rape kits should be revamped to prevent similar backlogs in the future, Worthy said.

Her office is collaborating with the Detroit Police Department, Michigan State Police and other agencies on policies that would trigger deadlines on the testing of rape kits and make changes in how sexual assault victims are treated.

“It certainly is a high priority,” Worthy said.

Related:

• Kym Worthy: Untested Rape Kits Illustrate Funding Crisis
• Detroit Discovers at Least 100 Serial Rapists After It Finally Gets Around to Processing Thousands of Rape Kits
• Untested Rape Kits, ‘Rape Insurance Law’ Combine in Chilling Message: Patch Editor’s Notebook
• Company Gives $100K to Help Wayne County Clear Backlog of Rape Cases

Police agencies in Michigan and nationwide are having the same conversation.

A USA TODAY investigation found that 1,000-plus police agencies across the country had at least 70,000 rape kits that hadn’t been processed.

The majority of Michigan’s backlogged rape kits in the USA Today analysis were in Detroit. Macomb County had 61 untested kits as of Feb. 23.

Oakland County Sheriff’s Lt. Wendy Reyes told the Free Press her county had 31 untested kits as of July 15, and the agency is aining deputies on how to better help and understand the trauma of rape.

“We’re working on getting a new sexual assault policy in place ... understanding the trauma of victims and getting all of the kits to a lab in a timely manner,” Reyes said.

Shannon Banner, manager of public affairs for the Michigan State Police, told the Free Press the Detroit backlog was an anomaly, and most police agencies in the state regard sexual assaults as a serious crime and process kits accordingly.

“... This is not just an issue impacting Detroit or Wayne County,” Banner said. “Everyone should care.”