100,000 untested rape kits and counting found in Florida's backlog
Key Points(5)
- <span style="font-weight: 400;">The number of untested rape kits in the state has far exceeded previous estimations, according to a report from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
- </span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Authorities confirmed that over 100,000 kits were surveyed, with officials still counting.
- The data came from 262 law enforcement agencies around the state.</span> Rape kit testing backlogs has been an issue across the U.S.
- In September, federal officials said an estimated 70,000 rape kits sitting in laboratories and evidence collection rooms across the country will be tested with a combined $79 million in federal and New York City funds designed to cut the backlog of untested DNA evidence in 27 states.
- The FDLE is conducting a more than $300,000 study on the number of untested kits and will present the findings to the Legislature in January.
The number of untested rape kits in the state has far exceeded previous estimations, according to a report from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Authorities confirmed that over 100,000 kits were surveyed, with officials still counting. The data came from 262 law enforcement agencies around the state.
Rape kit testing backlogs has been an issue across the U.S. In September, federal officials said an estimated 70,000 rape kits sitting in laboratories and evidence collection rooms across the country will be tested with a combined $79 million in federal and New York City funds designed to cut the backlog of untested DNA evidence in 27 states.
The FDLE is conducting a more than $300,000 study on the number of untested kits and will present the findings to the Legislature in January.
Attorney General Pam Bondi has called for more funding in the next state budget to process the kits.
