Across the country, there is a backlog of hundreds of thousands of untested rape kits. A “rape kit”, or a Sexual Assault Evidence Kit (SAEK), contains a checklist, materials, and instructions, along with envelopes and containers to package any specimens collected during the exam. When an allegation of sexual assault is reported, the victim is taken to get the exam, however the crime does not necessarily have to be reported for the victim to get an exam. The exam preserves potential evidence and DNA that the perpetrator may have left behind.

According to RAINN, out of every 100 rapes, 32 get reported, only 7 lead to an arrest, 3 are referred to prosecutors, and only 2 lead to a felony conviction. Only 2 out of 100 rapists will spend a single day in jail. This number could have a great rise if every rape kit that was taken was tested.  

The Austin Police Department (APD) alone has 3,070 rape kits waiting to be analyzed, and a backlog of 200. Each rape kit costs anywhere from $1,000 to $1,500 to have tested. Federal grant money has been issued to 20 jurisdictions, including Austin and Travis County. The APD just received almost $2 million to test. This means that over 1,300 rape kits can be tested. While 1,300 being tested will help solve many sexual assault cases, that still leaves 1,940 kits untested.

Untested kits are not only a problem in Texas, but also a problem all over the country. In some cities, and in some states the accumulation goes as far back as the hundreds of thousands.

Thanks to federal grant money, there is a chance that dozens of more sexual assault cases will be solved. Unfortunately the statute of limitations of sexual assault crimes in Texas only lasts 10 years. So, every day that goes by until all tests are tested is another day that a few criminals will walk free for rape.