An unused sexual assault evidence kit, colloquially known as a “rape kit,” is seen Friday, Nov. 2, 2018. (James Brooks | Juneau Empire file)

An unused sexual assault evidence kit, colloquially known as a “rape kit,” is seen Friday, Nov. 2, 2018. (James Brooks | Juneau Empire file)

Department of Public Safety proposes permanent fix for rape evidence kit backlog

Four new staff at crime lab would allow all sexual assault evidence to be tested

The Alaska Department of Public Safety has a plan and money to test thousands of shelved evidence kits from sexual assaults, and it’s now proposing a way to make sure none are ever shelved again.

On Friday, the department released its annual report on the number of untested sexual assault evidence kits, colloquially known as rape kits. Statewide, the report lists 2,568 untested and shelved kits, with 7 percent coming from the Juneau Police Department. That’s down from 3,484 shelved kits last year.

While the state has enough money to test those shelved kits, it is worried about the problem recurring: The crime lab doesn’t have enough manpower to test every new kit that comes in its doors.

To fix the issue, this year’s report recommends the state “create a dedicated sexual assault analysis team.” Doing so will cost an estimated $700,500 per year. That money will hire four new forensic scientists and pay for the chemicals and equipment they need to do the job.

The request has been submitted from the department to the governor’s office and could be part of the governor’s budget request next month. If it appears in that request, the Alaska Legislature would have the final say.

Kits consist of physical evidence taken from the body of a sexual assault victim following an assault. Kits may go untested for a variety of reasons, such as when the identity of a perpetrator is already known and doesn’t need to be established by DNA.

In recent years, Alaska and other states have taken greater interest in testing all kits: As the theory goes, evidence from untested kits could be used to identify serial rapists or link a perpetrator in a known case to one in an unknown case.

In 2016, under instructions from Gov. Bill Walker, the Department of Public Safety applied for (and received) a $1.5 million grant to test kits in the custody of the Alaska State Troopers. Five hundred and seventy-seven of those have been sent to a private lab for testing. The state has also used federal grant money to hire a cold-case investigator to examine the results of the testing and a prosecutor to deal with the cases that result from those investigations.

The grant-funded program only dealt with kits in the custody of the state, not those in the hands of the state’s many municipal police departments. In 2017, the Alaska Legislature passed Senate Bill 55, which required the state to inventory all untested kits statewide. That report revealed 3,484, mostly in the custody of the Anchorage Police Department. The same report estimated it would cost between $2.2 million and $3 million to test all of those kits.

In response, the Alaska Legislature earlier this year appropriated $2.75 million to cover testing. Again, the state crime lab lacks the resources to process those kits atop its normal work, so they are being sent to a private lab on the East Coast for testing.

Testing all of the shelved kits is expected to take several years. While the first results will arrive by March 2019, the last will not come until 2021.

While that grant will take care of all shelved kits (except for a handful of rare instances), the crime lab is still receiving more kits than it can handle in a given year, and not all new kits are earmarked for testing. Given enough time, the problem of shelved kits will return.


• Contact reporter James Brooks at jbrooks@juneauempire.com or 523-2258.


More in News

Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File
The Aurora Borealis glows over the Mendenhall Glacier in 2014.
Aurora Forecast

Forecasts from the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Geophysical Institute for the week of March. 19

The FBI Anchorage Field Office is seeking information about this man in relation to a Wednesday bank robbery in Anchorage, the agency announced Thursday afternoon. Anyone with information regarding the bank robbery can contact the FBI Anchorage Field Office at 907-276-4441 or tips.fbi.gov. Tips can be submitted anonymously.  (FBI)
FBI seeks info in Anchorage bank robbery

The robbery took place at 1:24 p.m. on Wednesday.

Kevin Maier
Sustainable Alaska: Climate stories, climate futures

The UAS Sustainability Committee is hosting a series of public events in April…

Reps. Tom McKay, R-Anchorage, and Andi Story, D-Juneau, offering competing amendments to a bill increasing the per-student funding formula for public schools by $1,250 during a House Education Committee meeting Wednesday morning. McKay’s proposal to lower the increase to $150 was defeated. Story’s proposal to implement an increase during the next two years was approved, after her proposed amounts totalling about $1,500 were reduced to $800.
Battle lines for education funding boost get clearer

$800 increase over two years OKd by House committee, Senate proposing $1,348 two-year increase

A call for a joint session of the Alaska State Legislature to cast a vote that would reject recently-approved salary increases for legislators and top executive branch officials is made by State House Speaker Cathy Tilton, R-Wasilla, during a press conference Tuesday. Senate President Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, rejected the joint session in a letter to Tilton on Wednesday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
House efforts to nix legislative pay raises hit Senate roadblock

Call for a joint session rejected by upper chamber, bills to overturn pay hikes may lack support

A simulated photo shows the tailings stack and other features of Hecla Greens Creek Mine under the most aggressive of four alternatives for expanding the mine in an environmental impact assessment published Thursday by the U.S Forest Service. The tailings stack is modestly to drastically smaller in the other alternatives. The public comment period for the study is from March 24 to May 8. (U.S. Forest Service)
New study digs into alternatives for Greens Creek Mine expansion

Public comment starts Friday on four options that could extend mine’s life up to 40 years

This image shows the Juneau Lions Club Gold Medal Basketball Tournament's logo. The club is looking for submissions of logos for the historic tournament's 75th anniversary. The winning artist will receive a $250 prize. (Screenshot)
Take your shot at a Gold Medal logo

Upcoming milestone prompts call for art.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Police calls for Thursday, March 23, 2023

This report contains information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

The Juneau School Board recently announced the three finalists for the district’s superintendent position: Frank Hauser, Carlee Simon and Thom Peck. The district is hosting a public forum from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Monday, March 27 at Thunder Mountain High School for students, parents and staff to meet the three candidates. Additionally, the trio will be interviewed by the school board on Tuesday, March 28. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
School district announces finalists for superintendent post

Public forum and interviews scheduled for next week.

Most Read