Ohio rape kit DNA tests yield 1,000-plus matches
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Ohio's attorney general says an initiative to test previously untested rape kits has led to more than 1,000 matches to DNA profiles in a law enforcement database.
A statement from Attorney General Mike DeWine says more than 6,400 sexual assault kits have been submitted by 125 law enforcement agencies since the program began in 2012. More than 3,200 kits have been tested in the ongoing effort to solve more reported sexual assaults with the help of DNA matches.
Information on any match is sent back to the appropriate local law enforcement agency to see if it can advance an investigation.
DeWine says the testing initiative has led to dozens of indictments, including nearly 100 in northeast Ohio's Cuyahoga County, which includes Cleveland.
http://www.wcpo.com/news/state/state-ohio/ohio-rape-kit-dna-tests-yield-1000-plus-matches
The office also notifies agencies of cases that are running close to the state's current 20-year statute of limitations for prosecution.
Yesterday Cafaro and Democratic State Sen. Nina Turner, of Cleveland, renewed a call to end the 20-year statute of limitations in rape and sexual battery cases. Some prosecutors and defense attorneys have expressed concerns about the bill and ask that it be limited to cases that include DNA evidence.
http://www.cleveland.com/rape-kits/index.ssf/2014/04/attorney_general_mike_dewine_a_1.html
President Obama’s FY2015 budget proposal includes dedicated funding for competitive grants that will provide communities across the country with the vital resources they need—and are asking for—to support multi-disciplinary community response teams tasked with developing and implementing comprehensive rape kit reform.
This new $35 million grant program in the Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Assistance will:
...
The federal government has a key role to play in investing in justice for survivors, accountability for perpetrators and safety for America’s communities.
Over a decade ago, Congress took a major step toward addressing untested rape kits languishing in crime labs with the creation of the Debbie Smith Act. The Act has been essential in drawing attention to this backlog, and to galvanizing lawmakers and the public to action.
This new $35 million grant opportunity is a complement to, but different from, the Debbie Smith Act. Based on results from multi-disciplinary efforts in Detroit, Houston and other cities, this funding focuses exclusively on meeting community needs for investigation, prosecution and victim reengagement.
http://www.endthebacklog.org/ending-backlog-government-responses-federal/justice-rape-survivors
A lot more on the Ohio situation here:
http://www.endthebacklog.org/Ohio
