The state of Virginia has eliminated its backlog of more than 2,600 untested rape kits, the state’s Attorney General Mark Herring (D) announced Wednesday.
Herring said in a Wednesday statement that the state’s $3.4 million project to eliminate the backlog of 2,665 untested kits has been completed. The milestone makes Virginia the seventh state to completely clear its rape kit backlog.
As a result of the project, 851 DNA profiles were added to CODIS, the national Combined DNA Index System, according to the Wednesday statement. Officials also sent 351 “hits” to law enforcement agencies for investigation.
“Virginia’s backlog of untested rape kits has been completely eliminated, and it is never coming back,” Herring said. “Eliminating this backlog has been a long time coming, and it has taken a lot of work, but it means a wrong has been righted, that justice is closer for more survivors, and that Virginia is a safer place.
David Adams
Article URL : https://thehill.com/homenews/news/506473-virginia-eliminates-backlog-of-over-2600-rape-kits