Defining the Problem
The State of Connecticut Commission on the Standardization of the Collection of Evidence in Sexual Assault Investigations found 879 Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kits sitting on shelves of law enforcement agencies across Connecticut that had never been sent to the State crime lab for testing and analysis. Almost 40% of these kits had been there for more than five years. Each kit represents a victim who came forward in the aftermath of a trauma to undergo an invasive exam in hopes that the evidence collected from their body could lead to the successful arrest and prosecution of a rapist. CONNSACS (now Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence) advocates that all kits should be tested. Victims of sexual violence deserve nothing less.
Our Report
Untested: Eliminating the Backlog of Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kits in Connecticut
This report highlights the findings of the State of Connecticut Commission on the Standardization of the Collection of Evidence in Sexual Assault Investigations (Evidence Commission) survey of law enforcement departments across the state of Connecticut to determine the number of sexual assault evidence collection kits (SAKs) that have not been submitted to the Division of Scientific Services Forensic Science Laboratory (State crime lab) for analysis and DNA testing. The total number of kits reported at the time of the survey is 961. Each kit represents a victim who came forward in the aftermath of a trauma to undergo an invasive exam in hopes that the evidence collected from their body could lead to the successful arrest and prosecution of a rapist.
Read the Report »
Ceremonial Bill Signing and Appointment of Working Group
A New Law and a New Working Group
In July 2015, CONNSACS (now Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence) hosted a ceremonial bill signing for HB 6498 An Act Concerning Evidence in Sexual Assault Cases. Governor Malloy signed the bill into law. The bill mandated that all kits will be delivered by law enforcement to the state crime lab within 10 days of the evidence collection and that the kit must be analyzed and tested by the lab within 60 days. By signing this new bill into law, Connecticut joined a handful of states that have passed legislation with clear time-frames for kit testing.
In addition, during the bill signing ceremony, Governor Malloy announced that he would appoint a statewide, multidisciplinary working group to determine why Connecticut has a sexual assault evidence collection kit backlog and what measures we can take to improve Connecticut’s response to victims of sexual violence and to ensure that there will not be a backlog in the future.
The Alliance’s Statement on the Bill Signing »
News on the Issue
State May Outsource Rape-Kit Processing. Harford Courant, 3/16/16
Malloy Signs Law Improving Processing of Evidence in Sexual Assault Cases. Connecticut Plus, 7/23/15
Statewide Rape Kit Backlog Addressed. Fox 61, 7/22/15
Advocates Praise Passage of Law to Speed Transfer of Rape Kits. CT News Junkie, 7/30/15
Groups Hail Law Speeding Transfer of Rape Kits to State Forensic Lab. New Haven Register, 7/30/15
Advocates Laud State’s New Evidence Law. West Hartford News, 8/5/15
New Law Expected to Boost Sex Assault Prosecutions. CT Law Tribune, 8/25/15
Connecticut Gets Federal Funding to Clear Rape Kit Testing Backlog. WSHU, 9/11/15
Federal Funds Help State Address Almost 1000 Untested Rape Kits. CT News Junkie, 9/14/15
Federal Funds Help Connecticut Address Almost 1000 Untested Rape Kits. New Haven Register, 9/14/15
Rape Kit Evidence Delayed in Reaching Lab. New Britain Harold, 9/15/15
More Funding Needed for Timely Tests of Rape Kits. New Haven Register, 10/8/15