Florida data shows 10,900 sexual assault kits still untested

Source: Associated Press

Florida data shows 10,900 sexual assault kits still untested
Tamara Lush, Associated Press
Updated 8:08 pm, Tuesday, November 3, 2015

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Nearly 11,000 rape kits have not been tested in Florida, according to statistics released by the state Tuesday, mirroring backlogs at law enforcement agencies nationwide because of a lack of funding.

In a spreadsheet released on its website, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement showed that 10,900 kits from 262 agencies around the state have not been tested. Seven law enforcement agencies did not report data.

The agency said the data is preliminary and the agencies might update the information.

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.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/Florida-data-shows-10-900-sexual-assault-kits-6608232.php