Backlog of untested rape kits shrinking, but more money needed to complete job
BEING
>>> THIS IS WHERE RAPE KITS
WAY TO BE TESTED.
IT IS A BIG PROBLEM WITH A HUGE
BACKLOG.
WRAL NEWS INVESTIGATED THIS
ISSUE EXTENSIVELY FOR YEARS.
TODAY THE STATE ATTORNEY
GENERAL SAID ONE OUT OF FIVE
RAPE KITS BACKLOG HAVE BEEN
TESTED.
>> Reporter: GERALD, WHEN THE
STATE CONDUCTED AN AUDIT A FEW
YEARS AGO, THEY FOUND MORE THAN
16,000 UNTESTED RAPE KITS.
ATTORNEY GENERAL JOSH STEIN IS
ASKING THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FOR
MORE FUNDING SO THEY CAN
CONTINUE OUTSOURCING THE
PROCESSING OF THESE KITS.
>> Reporter: FOR YEARS,
SOMETIMES UP TO DECADES,
EVIDENCE FROM SEXUAL ASSAULT
SAT UNEXAMINED IN POLICE
DEPARTMENTS, HOSPITALS AND
COLLEGES AROUND NORTH CAROLINA.
>> A RAPIST WILL NEVER STOP,
UNLESS WE STOP HIM.
TEST KITS WORK.
>> Reporter: THERE WERE MORE
THAN 16,000 UNTESTED KITS
DISCOVERED AROUND THE STATE.
THE TESTING COMPLETED IN THE
LAST FEW YEARS HAS YIELDED
POSITIVE RESULTS.
ABOUT 470 ENTERED INTO THE
NATIONAL DATABASE MASH A
PROFILE OF SOMEONE ALREADY IN
THERE.
ABOUT 40 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
ARRESTED FOLLOWING EVIDENCE
PROCESSING . WHILE THOSE KITS
SAT ON SHELVES, SURVIVORS, LIKE
LINDA, COULD NOT GET JUSTICE.
>> THE POTENTIAL OF A SEXUAL
ASSAULT HAPPENING IS FROM THE
CRADLE TO THE GRAVE.
IT IS A VIOLENT, LIFE-
THREATENING EVENT AND IT CAN
HAPPEN TO ANYONE AT ANY TIME.
>> Reporter: PROCESSING THIS
EVIDENCE HAS RAMPED UP OVER THE
LAST FEW YEARS.
ATTORNEY GENERAL JOSH STEIN
REPORTED TUESDAY MORNING THAT
TESTING HAS BEEN COMPLETED ON
ABOUT 3000 KITS AND AN
ADDITIONAL 5400 ARE UNDER
REVIEW.
THAT MEANS AT 49% OF THOSE
DISCOVERED STILL HAVE NOT BEEN
LOOKED AT.
>> WE HAVE TO KEEP WORKING
TOGETHER TO GET ACROSS THE
FINISH LINE.
>> Reporter: TO DO SO, HE IS
REQUESTING MORE FUNDING, $9
MILLION, FROM THE LEGISLATURE
SO THEY CAN CONTINUE
OUTSOURCING THE TESTING FOR
THESE OLDER KITS.
AS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL REVEAL,
THE AMOUNT PER TEST NEARLY
DOUBLED, SINCE MANY STATES ARE
USING PRIVATE COMPANIES TO DEAL
WITH THE BACKLOG OF KITS.
>> EACH KIT COMES FROM A
PERSON WHO SUFFERED A TERRIBLE
TRAUMA AND WILLINGLY PROVIDED
EVIDENCE AND WENT THROUGH AN
EXCRUCIATING EXAMINATION OF
HOURS TO PROVIDE EVIDENCE AND
WE OWE IT TO THEM TO PROCESS
THOSE KITS.
>> Reporter: WRAL AND OTHER
NEWS ORGANIZATIONS AROUND NORTH
CAROLINA HAVE REPORTED
EXTENSIVELY ON SEXUAL IS A.
THERE ARE SPECIALIZED NURSES
WHO PERFORM THESE TESTS AND
THEY GATHER EVIDENCE, WHICH CAN
BE USED IN THESE CASES.
THE EVIDENCE INSIDE OF THOSE
KITS.